Stay
by NJBC Gal
Summary: "You should hate him with a passion, but you don't. You're his fatal weakness and he's your greatest guilt. But despite everything else, you are each other's redemption," Stefan answered, eyeing the blonde crying in front of him. She nodded and let out a sad laugh. He was right. Klaroline centric, will get dark with later chapters.
1. Prologue

AN: Hello lovelies! I got inspire to write this by listening to "Chemical's React" by Aly and AJ a few days ago. For some reason, it made me think of Klaus and Caroline. I'm planning on making this a multi-chaptered fic. Hope you all enjoy!

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"Mommy!" the little girl exclaimed happily, rushing over to her mother. Caroline smiled brightly as she wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her tightly.

"How was school, Emily?" she asked, taking her daughter's small backpack and putting it over shoulder while taking a hold of her daughter's hand as they began walking down the sidewalk.

"It was fun! We got to play hide and seek in the playground and I won and oh!" her daughter exclaimed, suddenly remembering something. She pointed to her backpack, which her mother quickly handed to her. Emily's little hands searched through her bag, and finally her hands grasped what she'd been looking for. She pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to her mom.

"Mrs. Stevenson liked my drawing and gave me a smiley!" the blonde haired little girl beamed, proud of her accomplishment. Caroline smiled at her daughter before opening the folded paper. She felt the air leave her lungs, feeling as though she'd had the wind knocked out of her as her eyes grazed over the drawing. There was a park, and three stick figures smiling as they held hands; Emily, Caroline, and….Klaus. Caroline felt a lump form in her throat, as she kept looking at the picture, her eyes welling up with tears.

"Mommy why are you sad?" Emily asked, noticing her mother's reaction. "You don't like my drawing?" Caroline could hear the sadness in her daughter's voice, as she thought that she hadn't liked the drawing. Caroline shook her head and smiled softly, squatting down to her daughter's height.

"Of course not, sweetie. It's beautiful!" she answered, putting the drawing back in her daughter's backpack.

"Then why are your eyes wet?"

Caroline pressed her lips together and wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall. She took her daughter's hand in her own before continuing their walk home.

"It made me happy, Em. They're happy tears," she explained, smiling down at her daughter. Her daughter nodded in understanding and smiled back at her mom. They continued talking about Emily's day at school, and Caroline felt the nagging feeling she had gotten when she'd seen Emily's drawing slowly drift away. That was, until they were nearing the place they'd recently began calling home and she spotted a black town car. She felt her heart drop to her stomach, and her breath quickened. No…he couldn't have found her. She had done everything possible so that he couldn't find them. But maybe it wasn't him? Maybe it was Stefan. She was the only one she'd trusted with the information of her whereabouts…he was the only one that knew. However, her thoughts were crushed when the door opened, and the devil himself stepped out of the car.

"Daddy!" Emily exclaimed, releasing her mother's hand and rushing over to Klaus. Caroline's eyes locked with his as he embraced their daughter. She quickly looked away as she continued to walk towards them.

"How have you been sweetheart?" Klaus asked his daughter, who was overwhelmed with excitement at seeing her dad.

"I've been good daddy! I've been a really good girl, you can ask mommy! I've missed you a lot!" his daughter said rapidly before wrapping her small arms around her father's neck, embracing him once more. He smiled and hugged her back.

"I've missed you too," he answered, his eyes softening. Times like that reminded Caroline of the Klaus she'd fallen in love with. The sweet, romantic, caring man he'd been to her….before he turned into a possessive psychotic asshole. "_Don't let your guard down, Caroline" _she reminded herself. She finally came face to face with him. His gaze met hers, and his demeanor changed. His gaze became slightly angrier, and his jaw clenched. At the same time, it seemed loving? He put Emily down, and raised an eyebrow at Caroline.

"If it isn't my lovely wife! Won't you show me your new home, sweetheart?" he asked, his tone teasing, but there was an underlying anger in his words. Caroline couldn't speak, she only nodded. She led him into the brownstone she'd purchased before she left New York. Emily quickly pulled Klaus forward, urging him to see the house.

"Daddy, you have to see my room!" she squealed in excitement, her blonde ringlets bouncing with every step the girl took. She was the spitting image of Caroline, except for her eyes, which were more like Klaus's; a light blue with hints of grey.

"I will sweetheart, just give me some time to talk with your mom, ok?" he asked. Emily nodded happily before running up the stairs to her room. Silence engulfed them both, Caroline trying to look at anything but him.

"So you're just not going to look at me? Very mature, Caroline," he said. She finally gave in, their gaze meeting.

"How did you find me?" she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. Klaus let out a dark chuckle before taking a step closer to her.

"You do remember who I am, right? Or has being away from me for so long caused you to forget?" he said, inching closer to her stopping only when they were inches away. His hand reached out and gently caressed her cheek. "I'd be more than happy to remind you." She pushed his hand away and looked at him angrily.

"Don't touch me," she spat.

"Is that any way to treat your husband?" he questioned, as he grasped her arm roughly.

"Some husband you were," she muttered bitterly. His other hand reached out and grasped her chin, lifting her head so their gaze could meet.

"I gave you everything, Caroline. I loved you with as much passion as any man could muster, and yet you ran away from me? I was everything a husband should be," he answered, his tone just as bitter. She noticed the pain in his voice and felt her demeanor soften, but she quickly recovered and looked at him with an angry gaze.

"All you ever wanted to do was control me. You'd think I'd cheat on you with every man I talked to, we fought almost every other day, and for fuck's sake! You threatened to tie me up and never let me leave the house! What kind of a husband does that? How is that supposed to be love?!" she spat angrily, her eyes livid. Klaus immediately released her.

"You know about my past…," he began, but was cut off as Caroline scoffed.

"Yes, I do Klaus. I know everything about your past. And I was willing to help you move past that, and build a future for us. But all you did was go back and submerge yourself in your past. I know you have trust issues, and I know your parents weren't the greatest…but I tried, Klaus. I tried and you didn't," she replied, her tone softening at the end.

"You're right…I didn't," he answered, defeated. He looked down at his feet, ashamed. Everything Caroline had said was true. She felt her hand grasp his, and he immediately looked up. God, she was stunning. He would never be able to get over how beautiful she was. His hand reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear.

"Klaus…," she began.

"I missed you, love. Come back," he murmured, as he played with one of her curls.

"Klaus I-,"

"I promise, I'll be a better man. I'll change, I will. But I miss you love. I miss you and Emily. I want us to be together again," he answered, cupping her face in his hands. He stared at her intently before crushing her lips with his. Caroline let out a soft moan, as one hand grasped his bicep and the other grasped the hair at the back of his neck. His tongue delved inside her mouth, exploring every inch of it, as he pushed her against the wall. His lips left hers, as he trailed kisses along her jaw line and down to her neck. Caroline bit her bottom lip as his lips travelled lower to her breasts, as he began fondling with them.

"God, you're perfect," he muttered. His words caused Caroline to snap out of her daze. She immediately pushed him away.

"What the hell?" he muttered confused. Caroline fixed her disheveled clothes and looked pointedly at Klaus.

"No, this isn't happening," she answered.

"Why not, love? You seemed to be enjoying it thoroughly," he smirked, as he stepped forward towards Caroline.

"No, Klaus. I'm done….we're done. I am not falling back into this never-ending cycle because of sex…which is what always happens," she said, backing away from him.

"We're not done, Caroline. We're not done until I say that this is over," he threatened, moving closer to her.

"Stop it, Klaus. I don't want this life anymore…and besides, I've found someone else," she answered, trying as hard as she could to sound strong, though she was scared of what his reaction would be.

"What do you mean 'someone else'?" he seethed his gaze on her becoming livid.

"I'm dating someone…," she answered meekly, looking down. That's when Klaus noticed the picture that stood atop of the piano. It was of some other man a tan, tall brown-haired hazel eyed man. A man he had threatened to stay away from her for as long as they both lived. Tyler Lockwood. In a second, he was in front of her, his hands grasping her arms roughly.

"You're dating Tyler fucking Lockwood?!" he roared. Caroline shuddered and shut her eyes tightly.

"Look at me!" he yelled, his breath hot on her face. Her eyes snapped open, to find his face dangerously close to hers.

"Let go! You're hurting me!" she yelled, squirming under his grasp. Klaus chuckled darkly as he stared at Caroline.

"I'm not letting you go, Caroline. You're mine," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper at the last two words. Then a small voice interrupted them.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Their gaze turned to the stairs, where Emily was standing, clutching her favorite teddy bear. Klaus released his grasp on Caroline, and she quickly walked away from him and towards Emily.

"Mommy? Why are there tears in your eyes?" the young girl questioned, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

"It's nothing sweetie, your dad was just telling me a story," she answered, reaching out to tuck a curl behind her daugther's hair.

"Was it a sad story, mommy?" Caroline smiled sadly, and pressed her lips together. "Yes, sweetie. It was. But it's over now, so everything's fine. Why don't you go upstairs and I'll be there in a bit?" Emily nodded and headed back up the stairs. Caroline felt his gaze on her, and turned to face him.

"You're breaking up with Tyler, and you and Emily are coming back with me tonight," he said, his eyes never leaving hers.

"You see Klaus? This is why we can't be together. This is why we will never work out. You try and take control of the people you care for. We're humans, not possessions!" she answered.

"I-,"

"Shut up. Don't say anything. I have tried countless times to fix you, I have tried countless times to help you. And yes, for a second I actually believed you would change. But now, I see that it's not the case. You will never change. You're a monster, and you're going to destroy everyone that surrounds you. I'm not willing to stick around and wait for that to happen. You've already practically destroyed our marriage…and I won't let Emily see what a monster her father is," Caroline replied, her words dripping with pain and resentment.

Klaus's gaze hardened and he took a step forward to Caroline. She placed her hand in front of him, motioning for him to stop.

"You're my wife, Caroline."

"Not for long."

The words hurt him more than he would admit, and he wasn't going to let Caroline see that.

"You're coming back with me, or so help me god I will force you into the town car and take you and Emily back to New York, if that's what it takes," he said angrily. He immediately felt a stinging sensation on his cheek. Caroline had slapped him, and when he met her gaze again she was enraged, and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Get out," she warned.

He shouldn't have said that…he knew it. But Caroline caused every ounce of reason to leave his mind and she drove him mad.

"Love,"

"Get out or I will call the police and have them take you!" she yelled, as a tear slid down her cheek. He took a hesitant step towards her and was met with a push from her.

"Get out of here! I hate you! I don't want to see you again!"

Klaus felt his own eyes fill with tears as he heard the words escape her lips. He deserved everything she'd said…but it didn't help to ease the pain. He gave her a small nod, blinking away the tears as he turned around and headed towards the door. His hand enveloped the handle and opened it. He stepped out, but not before looking back at Caroline who slid down to the floor, sobbing. He shook his head before closing the door behind him. He'd lost her.

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AN: Reviews are wonderful!


	2. Chapter 1

AN: Hey all! Wow, so I got a lot of good feedback from the first chapter and I got around to writing the second one...or technically the first since this is the beginning of the story. As someone mentioned in a comment, I forgot to mention this was AU/AH. They're human, everyone's normal no supernatural beings! Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

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"Come on, Klaus!" Stefan exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration, "The White Oak is a nice bar. It's got a good ambience, the food is great and the girls are gorgeous." Stefan grew more frustrated by the second, as he tried to convince his friend to go with him.

"I'm sorry, mate. But Brooklyn isn't exactly somewhere I want to be," Klaus answered. Stefan rolled his eyes at his friend's answer. "Stop being a little bitch, Mikaelson. I never knew you to take your years of high society upbringing to heart." Klaus quickly turned and faced his friend, glaring at him. Stefan raised an eyebrow at his friend, cocking his head to the side as if saying 'yes, I said that. What are you going to do?'. Klaus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had been raised in the Upper East Side of New York, his parents having been extremely wealthy. His father owned a law firm and his mother had her inheritance. They had four children: Elijah, Finn, Klaus, Kol & Rebekah. They all divulged in their high society lifestyle, but out of all of them, Klaus was the one that hated it the most. It's not that he didn't like being rich, but it got dull and just plain ridiculous at times. If there was one thing he hated, was the mentioning of his upbringing and being too much of a rich boy.

"Fine, Salvatore," he relented, "but if anything happens to me my blood will be on your hands." Stefan chuckled at his friend's remark. "Don't worry, I'll be your knight in shining armor if anything happens, rich boy."

"Don't make me regret my decision."

"Trust me, you won't," Stefan answered, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door with Klaus.

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After a long cab ride, they reached their destination. A crowd of people stood outside the bar, drinks in their hand and mindless chatter in the air. The girls all wore dresses which were two sizes too small, and most of the guys had their eyes glued to their breasts. Klaus rolled his eyes at the sight before him, which Stefan quickly took notice of.

"Trust me, it's better inside," he said, motioning for them to head to the interior of the building. Once they were inside, Klaus looked around and decided that Stefan was right. The bar had a very warm feeling to it, a fireplace at the far end and various tables and stool scattered around the place. Both men headed to the bar and ordered their drinks.

"So, what was so important that you had to drag me with you?" Klaus asked, taking a sip of the bourbon he had ordered.

"I'd heard nothing but good things about the place, and a good friend of mine just started working here. I wanted to come and surprise her. She'd already asked me to come see her a bunch of times but I was always working late at the firm," Stefan said, as he took a sip of his beer. Klaus nodded in response as he took another swig of his drink.

"She's a great girl, and I wanted to introduce you to her," Stefan answered. Klaus only nodded in response and continued to sip his drink. Really, Stefan was trying too hard. The last time he'd tried to set him up with a girl had been with that brunette…what was her name? Oh, Haley. She'd been quite a bore, minus the sex. Yeah…the sex was definitely unforgettable, Klaus thought; a smirk appearing on his lips as he remembered countless places they'd fucked on.

"Oh, there she is!" Stefan exclaimed, which snapped Klaus out of his thoughts. He followed his friend's gaze to see a beautiful blonde heading up to the stage, and god was she stunning. She wore a blue tank top, which hugged her body and accentuated her curves and a tight skirt that reached mid thigh; showing off her long beautiful legs. Her blonde curls bounced with each step she took and she had sparkling light sapphire colored eyes. The crowd of people in the bar clapped for her as she finally set foot on the stage, making her way to the mike.

"Hi everyone!" she said happily, a smile on her face, "I'm Caroline. As you know, every Tuesday we have karaoke night. Each time, the new employee has to start off the night. And since this is my first week working here, tonight's my turn!" she exclaimed nervously. The crowd clapped for her and the men whistled. Caroline let out a delighted laugh and grabbed the mike once more.

"Thank you guys!" she smiled, as the tune of the song began playing. She grasped the mike with both hands, pressing her lips together as the tune played. The bar was quiet, everyone watching her intently.

"Are they really going to let the poor girl make a fool out of herself?" Klaus questioned in disgust. Stefan only laughed and shook his head. "Just listen." Klaus was about to answer, when he was cut off by a soft sultry voice coming over the speakers.

"_Feet don't fail me now; take me to the finish line. Oh my heart breaks every step that I take, but I'm hoping at the gates they'll tell me that you're mine_," Caroline sang. Klaus's gaze immediately turned to her, his eyes stayed glue to her. He certainly didn't expect her to have such a fantastic voice. He felt Stefan shove a napkin at him, and Klaus looked at him questioningly.

"For the drool," he remarked, laughing at his friend's reaction. Klaus muttered something in response and turned back to Caroline.

"_Come on take a walk on the wild side, let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain, you like your girls insane. Choose your last words, this is the last time cause you and I, we were born to die_," she continued, her eyes scanning over the crowd, enchanting all the guys in the audience, including Klaus. God, she really was something. And how he'd love to have those long legs wrapped around him, he thought a smirk on his face as he pondered the thought. Caroline continued the song, and once it was over the crowd erupted in applause and whistling. She smiled at everyone and bowed, "Thank you guys! If anyone else is brave enough, come on up! Hope you enjoy the rest of the evening!" she chirped happily, before heading off the stage and walking over to the bar, not noticing Stefan or Klaus.

"Mike, a shot please! I'm a nervous wreck!" she exclaimed at the bartender. Mike let out a hearty laugh and went to make her drink.

"Why would you be worried, Forbes? You know you're a great singer," Stefan smiled, resting an arm on the bar counter. Caroline immediately turned her head and saw Stefan, a smile appearing on her face as she rushed over to him, enveloping him in a tight hug.

"Oh my gosh, Stefan!" she squealed happily, as Stefan's arms wrapped around her, "I can't believe you came! You said you were busy!" Stefan laughed in response, before placing his friend back down. "Well, I wanted to surprise you."

"You did! I'm so happy you're here!" she smiled.

"So how's the city been treating you?" he questioned. Caroline let out a sigh and laughed.

"It's definitely a big change; I mean Mystic Falls is like middle of nowhere, Virginia. And coming here is just like bam! You're at the heart of New York!" she said, quickly taking a shot, rejoicing in the burning feeling it gave her.

"Yeah, New York certainly is a big change from good ole Mystic Falls," Stefan replied.

"You can say that again."

Klaus cleared his throat, interrupting their conversation and effectively reminding Stefan of his presence.

"Oh, my bad. Caroline, this is Niklaus Mikaelson, my boss's son," Stefan acknowledged, presenting Caroline to Klaus. Her breath hitched slightly at the man standing before her. He was tall, and though not very muscular, the Henley shirt he wore accentuated the muscles he did have. His short blonde curls, golden stubble, and captivating blue eyes making Caroline forget how to breath for a moment. Klaus smirked, taking notice of her reaction to him. He grabbed her hand softly and placed a kiss on it.

"A pleasure to meet you, Caroline," he said charmingly. Caroline nodded in response, before turning to Stefan.

"So, you're wining and dining the boss's son, Salvatore? You should've come out to me sooner, Stefan! Then I could've taken you shopping with me this past weekend!" she joked, feigning shock. Klaus let out a hearty laugh while Stefan smiled but rolled his eyes at his friend's remark.

"Very funny, Care. As it so happens, Klaus and I became friends before I started working at his dad's firm."

"Oh, so you only started your affair once you started working there?" she teased. Stefan rolled his eyes once more.

"I'm joking, Stefan! Lighten up a bit!" she laughed, playfully punching his arm.

"Forbes! We need you back out on the floor! The people want their drinks!" Caroline let out a heavy sigh as she heard her boss calling her. "Well that's my cue," she muttered, setting her drink down on the marble counter top. She raised her eyes back up at the two men standing in front of them and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I get out at 12," she began before looking down at her watch, " so that's in about an hour. Think you guys can wait for me and I'll join you once my shift is over?" she questioned, looking at them with a hopeful gaze. Stefan smiled and nodded.

"Of course, Care."

"We'd be honored," Klaus added, a smirk on his lips as he stared at Caroline. She turned her gaze to him and looked him over once before a smirk graced her lips.

"I'll see you guys later," she said as she walked away from them. Klaus watched, mesmerized, as her hips swayed from side to side. Stefan stared as his friend ogled Caroline and let out a chuckle. Klaus immediately turned to Stefan and raised an eyebrow in question.

"You look like you're stranded in the desert and Caroline is the only water bottle in sight," Stefan remarked, taking a seat on the bar stool.

"Well, she is stunning, isn't she?" Klaus answered, taking a seat down next to Stefan, his eyes never leaving Caroline.

"She certainly looks good walking away from you," Stefan smirked, looking at his friend. Klaus rolled his eyes at his friend's answer and shook his head before ordering another drink from the bartender.

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An hour later, Caroline appeared behind Stefan, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"So, Salvatore, ready to blow this joint and show me the town?" she asked, raising a perfect blonde eyebrow. Stefan chuckled, and turned to answer his best friend when he spotted a familiar brunette entering the bar, surrounded by friends.

"Woooooooo! Give it up for our friend Elenaaaaaaaaaaaa!" one of the girls exclaimed, seemingly drunk.

"Tonight's her last night as a single gal, ladies and gentlemen!" a shorter brunette exclaimed in return, which Stefan and Caroline quickly recognized as Bonnie. The group continued making their way into the bar, heading for one of the booths. Caroline's gaze quickly shifted to Stefan, placing a comforting hand over his own, which was clenched into a tight fist.

"You alright?" she asked softly, her eyes grazing over him. He looked down, pressing his lips together, before looking back up at her. His eyes were hazy, and she saw the emotions that laid there: resentment and pain.

"I'm just gonna go outside for a bit," he muttered, rising from his seat and walking away from his two friends. Once he left, Caroline let out a loud sigh and turned to Klaus.

"So I'm guessing that's the infamous Elena Gilbert?" Klaus asked. Caroline scoffed and nodded, "The one and only. Stefan told you?" He nodded in response, shifting his body so that his back was pressed against the bar.

"Of course, love. High school sweethearts, madly in love. They move to the big city so Stefan can realize his dream of becoming a lawyer and they plan on getting married. Then the day he goes to propose to her he finds her in bed with the quarterback of the football team, a good friend of his if I'm not mistaken" Klaus answered, grabbing his drink and swirling the liquid around the glass.

"Yeah, Matt," she muttered, as she turned to look at the booth where Elena and her friends sat. Klaus followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow in question.

"He told me you and her used to be good friends."

"We were best friends. We'd known each other since we were in diapers," she stated, staring at her old friend absentmindedly, "we always said we'd be each other's maid of honor when we got married." She shook her head and looked down at her lap.

"What made you choose Stefan?" he questioned. He didn't know why he was bothering to ask her all of these questions, really. All he had wanted to do since the moment he saw her was bury himself deep inside her. But he saw the sadness in her eyes as she looked at her old friends and mentioned her old life, and it struck a chord with him.

"He was there for me when she wasn't. Elena changed in high school…especially after dating Stefan's brother our freshman year. He became a better friend to me than she ever was, and when it came down to it I chose him because he'd been there for me at my lowest…and I wasn't going to leave him when he was reaching that point," Caroline answered, meeting his gaze. Klaus nodded, before finishing his drink and placing money on the bar. He stood up from the stool and looked at Caroline, "I think we'd better start heading out, love. I'm afraid Stefan isn't in his right mind right now," he chuckled. A small smile formed on Caroline's lips, as she stood up from her seat as well. Klaus stepped back, motioning for her to go before him.

"Ladies first," he smiled. Caroline let out a small laugh as she nodded in response. As she began leading the way, a familiar voice called out her name.

"Caroline?! Oh my god, Bonnie it's Caroline! Care, over here Care! Caroline!" she heard Elena yell. _Don't look at them, Caroline. Don't look at them._ But it was too late; she had turned her head slightly and saw her old friend, the one she'd practically considered a sister, waving at her, a smile gracing her delicate features. She felt a lump form in her throat and she shook her head, turning to look forward and rushing out of the restaurant as fast as she could. Klaus followed close behind, not wanting to lose sight of the blonde. Once they were outside, Caroline let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding as the cool night breeze blew softly around her, making her feel more at ease.

"Stefan, mate, where are you going?" Klaus's voice immediately snapped her out of her daze, as she looked up to see Stefan about to get inside a cab. Stefan sighed looking up at his friends who looked at him questioningly.

"I want to be alone right now. I'm going home. Klaus, if you could, take Caroline home. Care, I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you," Stefan said, giving his friend a sad smile. She nodded and gave him a sad smile in return.

"It's okay, Stefan. I understand," she answered. Stefan pressed his lips together and waved at the two blondes before heading inside the cab. As the cab drove off, Klaus turned to Caroline.

"So it looks as if I'll be your chaperone for the rest of the night, love," he smirked. Caroline rolled her eyes as she hailed a cab.

"You don't need to take me home, you know. I'm a grown woman," she answered. Klaus let out a deep chuckle and walked towards Caroline.

"But I wouldn't be much of a gentleman if I didn't sweetheart," he countered.

"You don't look like the gentleman type," she returned. Klaus raised an eyebrow in question. "Oh, then what do I look like love?" he asked, stepping closer to Caroline, their faces inches away from each other. She raised her eyebrows before giving him a once over, then meeting his gaze.

"Rich Upper East Side bad boy who likes to fuck anything with a skirt," she replied coolly, before returning to the task of hailing a cab. Klaus stood next to her, mouth slightly open in shock, as he took in her answer. As a cab finally reached the sidewalk, Caroline turned to him. "Stefan tells me everything, _sweetheart_" she smirked, mocking his term of endearment, as she opened the cab door and slid in. Klaus didn't waste a moment before sliding in beside her.

"Seriously?" she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and sliding to the far end of the cab. Klaus only smirked in response, enjoying the way her skirt rose up slightly as she crossed one leg over the other. She looked at him before rolling her eyes and giving the cab driver the direction to her apartment. The rest of the cab ride was silent; with only Caroline throwing Klaus annoyed looks and Klaus smirking in response. After 20 minutes, they arrived at their destination.

"Finally," she muttered, giving the cab driver the fare as she rushed out of the cab. Klaus followed quickly behind her.

"Leaving in such a rush, love?" he asked, following her up to the entrance of her apartment building. Caroline spun around, hands on her hips. "Last time I checked, you're not my babysitter or anything. So can't you just go home and leave me alone?" she asked.

"I can," he began, stepping closer to her, "but not without saying goodnight to such a beautiful woman like you." Caroline let out a loud laugh, rolling her eyes at his response.

"God, do those lines really work on girls?" she laughed. Klaus stepped forward, making her step back, only to realize she was pressed against the door; as he placed his arms on either side of her. She felt the blush creep up her neck as she looked up and met his intense gaze.

"I don't know love, do they?" he said softly, his breath warm against her face. She looked into his deep blue-grey eyes, feeling her insides turn to mush as he looked at her with a lustful gaze. She bit her bottom lip as he inched his face closer to hers, until their noses were touching. Her breath caught in her throat as she felt him move even closer to her, his lips grazing her own. She could've sworn he was about to kiss her when-

"Excuse me." They both turned around to see a middle aged woman with her child, looking at them disapprovingly. They stepped away quickly, letting the woman pass through and head inside the apartment building.

"Now, where were we?" Klaus smirked, ready to return to their previous position. But his smirk faltered as he saw Caroline opening the door.

"No kiss goodnight, love?" he teased, leaning against the other closed door.

"Leave me alone," she muttered, as she went inside, slamming the door behind her. Klaus smiled at the girl's antics before heading back to the cab and giving the driver his address. He rested his head against the seat as a small smile formed on his lips. Originally, Caroline was just going to be another notch on his belt. But as he talked to her, he became more interested in this girl, this witty, beautiful, and interesting girl. There was something about her that intrigued him…and he was willing to get to know her and find out.

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AN: So this is where our story really begins! I hope you all enjoyed it and I would love to read your feedback. The song that Caroline sings is "Born to Die" by Lana Del Rey. Remember, reviews are lovely!


	3. Chapter 2

AN: Hey everyone! Wow, thank you so much for your reviews and your feedback! I am so sorry that I have not gotten around to answering your questions or reviews but i've been swamped with school work. Just to clarify, Caroline is about 25 years old and so is Stefan. Klaus is about 27 or 28 and Kol is in his early 20's, about 21. Also, someone had mentioned that I should clarify whether this was in the present or past. Since this is when they first meet, this is the past as most of the story is going to be until we get to the point where the Prologue ended. Hope you enjoy!

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"Care? Are you here?"

Caroline groaned as she heard Stefan's muffled voice from the other room. She turned her head to see the clock on her nightstand and let out a louder groan. It was 8:30. She flipped onto her side and closed her eyes once more, praying Stefan would just go away. But his approaching footsteps were proof that he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. She heard the door opening before feeling an added weight on her side of the bed.

"Wakey wakey, Sleeping Beauty," he said, shaking her softly. She rolled her eyes and turned to face him.

"It's 8:30am on a Saturday, Stefan. Let me sleep," she answered.

"Come on, Care. I wanna take you out on the town," he replied as he motioned for her to scoot over, and laid down next to her, propping his head up on his hand.

"Well you can take me out on the town at a more reasonable time…like 12," she said.

"You've never been one to sleep in, Forbes. And besides, there's a present waiting for you in the living room," he added, a smile forming on his lips as he noticed Caroline perking up at the word 'present'.

"Present? You got me a present?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow. Stefan shook his head and raised an eyebrow in response.

"Me get you a present? What do you think you are my best friend or something?" he joked, earning a playful slap from Caroline. "But no, I didn't Care. But somebody did," he answered. Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, wondering who had gotten her the present. She sat up on the bed and grabbed her robe, which rested messily on her nightstand. She quickly put it on as she slipped on her fuzzy pink slippers and headed to her living room. She gasped as she noticed a small light blue box resting on the coffee table, a white silk ribbon tied around it. She looked down and saw a small white card slipped in between the ribbon and the box. She looked at it hesitantly before grabbing the card and opening to read what it said.

_I apologize for my behavior last night, love. Hope you accept this gift, since something this beautiful deserves to be seen on someone worthy of its beauty._

_-Klaus_

"Seriously?" Caroline scoffed, as she finished reading the card. Someone was seriously trying too hard, she thought. But that didn't stop her curiosity from peaking as she looked down at the blue Tiffany's box. She looked at it hesitantly one last time, before opening the box. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she stared down at what Klaus had gotten her. It was a delicate silver bracelet, with rose cut diamonds adorning every inch of it.

"Oh my…," she breathed, as she held the present in her hands. Stefan, who had stayed in Caroline's bedroom, walked out into the living room.

"So, what is it?" he questioned, walking up behind her. The blonde said nothing, only kept looking down at her hands. Stefan stepped forward to see what it was that had Caroline's undivided attention and his eyes widened in surprise at the diamond bracelet in her hands.

"Wow, that's one hell of a gift. Who's it from?" he asked, though he already had an idea of who it might be. Caroline didn't respond, but only pointed to the white card on the coffee table. Stefan reached over and picked it up, his eyes quickly scanning over the card. As he finished he let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Don't let Klaus's pretty words or expensive gifts fool you, Care," Stefan warned, as he set the card back down on the table. Caroline, who had snapped out of her daze, pressed her lips together and nodded. "I know, Stefan. I'm not the same highschooler who swooned over the slightest bit of affection from a guy," she stated, as she set the bracelet back in the box.

"Even though he got you a very expensive diamond bracelet?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow at his blonde best friend. Caroline's gaze quickly shifted back to the bracelet, and she sighed. "It is beautiful isn't it? I mean I gotta give it to him…he has good taste," she replied, as she looked back up at Stefan, who only chuckled in response.

"That he does, and he seems to have taken a liking to you," Stefan stated, as he sat down on Caroline's couch. She rolled her eyes and scoffed at his answer, crossing his arms over her chest. "Please, if anything he's using this to try and sweeten me up so he could get in my pants."

"Oh trust me, if he wanted to get in your pants, he would've done so by now."

"Come on, Stefan. I barely spent half an hour with the guy, how could he have taken a 'liking' to me?" she questioned, as she headed over to the kitchen.

"All I'm saying is that if he was only interested in getting in your pants, he wouldn't have gone as far as getting you a diamond bracelet from Tiffany's as an apology for however he acted yesterday. But like I said before, Caroline: Don't let this get to you. Klaus isn't the easiest person to deal with…he's had a troubled past…and he won't be any good for you," Stefan warned, as he stood up from the couch, and headed over to the kitchen. Caroline took in Stefan's words as she set up the coffee maker and brought out two mugs.

"Don't worry Stefan, I won't fall for Romeo's advances," she jested, turning to her friend. Stefan chuckled and raised an eyebrow.

"But you do have a thing for sparkly accessories…,"he teased, ducking as Caroline threw a banana at him.

"Zip it, Salvatore," she laughed, "or I'll kick you out of here without any coffee." Stefan raised his hands in mock surrender and chuckled as he and Caroline settled into a more casual conversation. Several minutes later, the coffee was ready and Caroline poured some into both of their mugs. She sat next to him on her kitchen stools, placing the cup down in front of her. "Want to grab a bite to eat?" she questioned.

"Only if you're buying," he smiled, as he sipped his coffee.

"Me buy you breakfast? What do I look like, your best friend or something?" she joked, repeating his earlier words. Stefan chuckled in response as he took a large sip of his coffee before setting it down on the counter.

"I'll take you to this place I heard about recently. But first, I gotta head to the firm and take care of some stuff. Meet me there and we'll head out together?" Stefan asked, getting off the stool and taking the last few sips of his coffee.

"Sure. Just text me the address," she smiled, as she continued swirling the dark liquid in her mug. Stefan nodded in response, giving Caroline a comforting smile, before heading out of her apartment. Caroline sighed before taking a sip of her coffee, looking around her apartment, until her gaze once again landed on the bracelet. She set the mug down on the counter and got off the stool before heading over to where it laid. She looked down at it before picking it up, letting her hands graze over the smooth texture of the diamonds. It really was a beautiful gift, she thought as she admired the bracelet. But just as quickly, the words she'd said to Klaus the night before had come to mind.

"_Rich Upper East Side bad boy who likes to fuck anything with a skirt"_

Maybe he did just want to sweeten her up with a nice gift, and then he'd try and get in her pants. Yet, her thoughts shifted once again, this time to the words Stefan had said earlier.

"_All I'm saying is that if he was only interested in getting in your pants, he wouldn't have gone as far as getting you a diamond bracelet from Tiffany's as an apology"_

Or maybe he was interested in her, and truly wanted to apologize. Both thoughts mixed in her head as Caroline pondered them, biting down on her bottom lip. She let out a loud sigh before setting the bracelet down on the Tiffany box. She didn't need to get involved with any guy right now. Her focus was getting her career on track, and letting a guy distract her was a bad idea. No matter how sexy his British accent was or how much she loved the diamond bracelet he'd gotten her, she thought as she headed to the bathroom to shower. Yes, Niklaus Mikaelson was definitely a bad idea.

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"Father, you asked to see me?" Klaus questioned, as walked into his father's office. His father nodded, quickly finishing a conversation on the phone, before shifting his attention to his son. He leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "Where were you last night?"

"Excuse me?"

"Where were you last night? Kol said you didn't come home until late last night," Mikael stated, fixing his hard gaze on his son.

"Since when do you care about my late night activities, father? Or better yet, since when do you ever care about what I do?" Klaus retorted, leaning back on his chair.

"Since you became the head lawyer on the Robinson case, boy. And if I remembered correctly, I asked for you to have a set of papers ready for me by today. Which is something you should've done last night," Mikael seethed, glaring at his son.

"For your information father, I had those papers done yesterday, by noon. If you'd only questioned your darling Kol about them, he would've told you that I told him that I'd sent them to Margaret later in the afternoon," Klaus answered, clenching his teeth. Though he had given his father more than enough reason to think he wouldn't get his work done in the past, this was a different situation. He'd slacked off with school work, but when it came to his job, he took everything very seriously. Mikael's gaze softened slightly at his son's reply, before it became stony once more.

"For once, you do what I tell you. You can go," Mikael replied, motioning for Klaus to leave his office. Klaus clenched his teeth tighter, as he stood and exited his father's office. As he headed over to his own office, he noticed Kol heading his way.

"Brother! How lovely to see you in the daylight hours!" Kol remarked, a smirk on his handsome face. Klaus glared at his brother before smacking him upside the head.

"For fuck's sake Nik, what was that for?" Kol all but yelled, rubbing the spot he'd been hit in. But Klaus ignored his brother's reply as he headed over to his office, locking the door once he was inside.

"Bad day, Mikaelson?" Klaus immediately turned around to see Stefan sitting in his chair. Klaus scoffed, heading over to the small cabinet in the corner of his office, retrieving a bottle of whiskey.

"That bad?" Stefan continued, alluding to the fact that it was only 11:30 in the morning and Klaus was already drinking. Klaus rested his back against the cabinet, as he swirled the amber liquid in his tumbler, shrugging. "You know Mikael, telling me I'm messing something up at any chance he gets. Don't know how Esther has dealt with him all this time. I would've bloody murdered the bastard by now," Klaus muttered before taking a sip of his drink. Stefan chuckled at his friend's response, knowing that Mikael had always been hard on Niklaus.

"Speaking of women…that was quite the gift you got Caroline," Stefan stated. Klaus immediately shifted his gaze from the whiskey, to Stefan, at the mention of the blonde's name.

"Yes. Sweet Caroline," he smirked, "so she did get my present?" Stefan nodded.

"Did she like it?" Klaus questioned.

"What woman wouldn't like a diamond bracelet?" Stefan responded, as he rested his feet up on his Klaus's desk.

"She's a nice girl, Klaus. Don't toy with her," Stefan stated, giving his friend a hard gaze.

"And why would you think I'd do that?" Klaus asked, raising an eyebrow at his friend. Stefan let out a hearty laugh before turning his gaze back to Klaus.

"Come on, Klaus! I know how you are! You sweep a girl of her feet with some sweet comments and a few romantic notions, and then you fuck her. Next thing you know, she doesn't hear from you again," Stefan answered. Klaus only raised his eyebrows slightly and shrugged, knowing there was no point in arguing the truth.

"Caroline's not like that…and I'll kill you if you do anything to her," Stefan stated. Klaus chuckled and walked over to where Stefan sat.

"Relax, mate. I was merely trying to apologize for the way I'd acted with her. I thought she'd appreciate a nice gift," Klaus stated, as he motioned for Stefan to get out of his seat, which Stefan quickly obliged. Klaus sat down on the black leather chair, resting his head against the back. "Besides, she's not really my type," he said as he sipped his drink.

"Then why go to the lengths of getting her such an expensive gift?" Stefan asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Like you said, mate. What woman wouldn't like a diamond bracelet?" he answered.

"True. But you could've gotten her any other diamond bracelet, a cheaper one. It didn't have to be Tiffany's," Stefan retorted.

"Why are you so worked up about this, Stefan?" Klaus chuckled, "It is my money and I choose to spend it like that. If I want to buy the girl a diamond bracelet as an apology then I'll do it. Don't know why you're getting your knickers in a bunch."

"I can't stop you from feeling whatever it is that you feel for her, bu-,"

"You see that's where you're wrong, mate. I don't feel anything, for anybody," Klaus stated somberly, as he stared at Stefan.

"Well with whatever it is that's going on in that messed up mind of yours, just don't hurt Caroline, Klaus. I'm warning you," Stefan said, giving his friend a hard stare before heading for the door.

"Leaving so soon after your lecture, Salvatore?" Klaus laughed. Stefan turned his head to his friend and nodded. "Breakfast with Caroline."

"Oh, do tell Sweet Caroline I said hello and that I'm glad she enjoyed her present," Klaus smirked, resting his feet atop of the desk, crossing one over the other.

"Of course," Stefan muttered; about to head out once more, before turning his attention back to his friend again. "Remember Klaus, don't hurt her."

"I wouldn't dream of it, Stefan!" Klaus responded as Stefan nodded and headed out the door. As soon as Stefan was out the door, Klaus called his assistant, Thomas, over to his office.

"Yes, Mr. Mikaelson?" the young man asked him, as he scurried inside his office. Klaus looked up at the young man in front of him and smiled.

"Caroline Forbes. Get me all the information you can find on her, by today," he said, as he put his tumbler down on his desk and put his feet back down, sitting up straight. The man nodded before hurrying out of Klaus's office. Klaus let out a sigh before standing up from his chair, and turning to the view in back of him, which consisted of a good amount of the Manhattan skyline. He wasn't interested in hurting the girl. But he was curious to get to know her.

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Caroline tapped her foot impatiently as she sat in the lobby of Mikaelson & Sons as she waited for Stefan. She'd been waiting for him for a good 15 minutes already and she got hungrier as each minute passed. And if there was one thing no one would like, was Caroline Forbes hungry. As she grew tired of sitting down, she stood up and walked over to a glass cabinet that held various awards and pictures. Quickly her eyes landed on a picture of Klaus, smiling with an arm wrapped around the shoulder of a taller man with brown hair. "Niklaus Mikaelson, left, and Elijah Mikaelson, right at the Annual Mikaelson Benefit Ball_," _Caroline read to herself, as she saw the caption at the bottom of the picture. She couldn't deny that Klaus definitely had an appeal to him, though she had noticed it the night before. He was muscular, without being too muscular, and those devilish blue eyes made her insides turn to mush. Not to mention how badly she wanted to run her fingers through his short, blonde locks. 'Snap out of it, Caroline! You don't need a guy to distract you! Your career is first!' her subconscious yelled, as her thoughts drifted to Klaus's physical attributes.

"Having fun, Forbes?" She spun around to find Stefan walking towards her, an amused expression on his face. Caroline huffed and rolled her eyes and she walked towards him. "As a matter of fact, I'm not. I'm starving, Stefan! What took you so long?" she exclaimed.

"Just talking some things over with Klaus. He says hi, by the way," Stefan answered, as he offered his arm to Caroline; who despite being a bit angry at Stefan, accepted it and intertwined her arm with his.

"Did you tell him he could take his expensive jewelry back and leave me alone?" she asked. Stefan chuckled at his friend's response and shook his head. "You know you wouldn't give it back, and knowing Klaus, he won't leave you alone." Caroline sighed dramatically and pouted.

"Just what I needed," she said sarcastically, as they stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"No, what we both need right now is a nice cup of coffee and some pancakes. So just forget about Klaus, and I'll show the town today, okay?" Stefan said, as he hailed a cab for them. Caroline pursed her lips and nodded. They entered the cab and began the drive to Caffe Reggio.

"I've heard it's delicious. It was actually Klaus's younger brother Kol, who told me about it," Stefan mentioned as they headed to the Italian caffe.

"Well, hopefully his taste in food is better than his taste in women," Caroline muttered. Stefan turned to her and gave her a questioning look.

"What? He's all over page 6 on the newspaper. He's like the biggest party boy," Caroline answered simply.

"He's a good kid," Stefan laughed.

"Hopefully better than his older brother," Caroline answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Stefan chuckled and shook his head at his friend's remark. The rest of the cab ride was spent with them talking about Caroline's plans for her career. Stefan knew that ever since Caroline could remember, she'd wanted to be a fashion designer. Clothes had always been a passion of hers, and as she grew older the passion intensified. Throughout high school, she worked at as many clothing stores as she could and continuously tried to get an internship in New York City, one of the major fashion capitals of the world. She'd majored in Fashion at the University of Richmond, and minored in psychology in case fashion never worked out, though she would walk through broken glass if it meant she could intern and work with the likes of Vera Wang or Carolina Herrera.

"So I mean, I gotta start somewhere. I'm waiting to make enough money at the White Oak Bar and I'll see where it goes from there," Caroline said, as their cab stopped in front of the restaurant. Stefan paid the fare and they both exited the cab. Stefan jokingly extended his arm out to Caroline just as before, and she laughed, taking it as they walked inside the caffe.

"Welcome to Caffe Reggio. Table for two?" the hostess, a middle aged woman, asked. They both nodded and she smiled as she grabbed the menus and led them to their table.

"Well Care, you know I'm here to help if you need anything. Any money troubles-," Stefan began, as they sat down. Caroline put her hand out in front of him, motioning for him to stop.

"No Stefan, I don't want you to give me any money! I'd feel terrible!" Caroline explained, as she opened the menu.

"Caroline, trust me. I make more than enough money. I can help you out whenever I want, even if you don't want me to," he answered, as he repeated her actions. She parted her lips to speak, but he gave her a pointed stare, as he cocked his head slightly. She let out a loud sigh and leaned back against her chair.

"I hate you," she muttered.

"I love you too, Care," he laughed, as he looked over the menu, trying to decided what he wanted for breakfast; Caroline doing the same thing. A few minutes later, the waitress came up to their table.

"Ciao! Welcome to Caffe Reggio!" she exclaimed happily.

"Are you ready to order?" she questioned. They both nodded and Caroline spoke first.

"I'd like the waffles with strawberries and walnuts and a Macchiato please," Caroline ordered, as she smiled and handed the waitress her menu.

"And I'll have FPC Club Sandwich and an Americano," Stefan ordered, as he handed his menu to the waitress as well. The waitress nodded, writing down their orders as she grabbed Stefan's menu and headed to the kitchen to give their order. The two were going to continue their conversation when Stefan's phone began vibrating in his pocket. He took the phone out and stared at the lock screen to see who it was.

"My boss," he sighed, as he pressed the "accept" button and put the phone to his ear.

"Mr. Mikaelson," he greeted.

"Come on, Stefan. I've told you countless times, you can call me Mikael!" the older man answered on the other side of the phone. Stefan chuckled lightly at the man's response before continuing.

"Well Stefan, my daughter Rebekah is coming home on Friday after studying abroad the past few years. My wife wants to throw her a big welcome home party and I was hoping you could join us," Mikael responded.

"Wow, um, thank you sir. But wouldn't that be more appropriate for only family?" Stefan questioned.

"Nonsense. You're like a son to me, boy. Not that I lack any, that's for sure," the man chuckled before continuing, "and you've helped Niklaus stay level headed as well, you don't know how much his mother and I appreciate that."

"Thank you, I'd be honored," Stefan began before his eyes darted to Caroline, who was looking at something on her phone, "but is it alright if I take a date?" Immediately, Caroline looked up at Stefan and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Me?" she mouthed, praying that Stefan was not referring to her. But when the younger Salvatore only smirked in response, she let out a loud groan, knowing there was no use arguing with him.

"Of course! The more the merrier! Now, I've got to get back to some important business so I have to let you go. You should receive the invitation sometime this week," Mikael replied.

"Okay, thank you Mr. Mikaelson. I'll see you Monday," Stefan said, muttering something else in response before hanging up. Caroline gave him a pointed look as she raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously?" she stated. If she was going to whatever Stefan had just been invited to by his boss that would mean she would see Klaus. And being even remotely close to him would not be a good idea; she did not need any guy drama right now.

"I'm sorry Care! I knew I would probably need a date for this event and you were right here anyways, sooo," Stefan answered, giving her an apologetic squeeze on her hand, which rested on the table.

"You're lucky I love you Stefan, or so help me god," she muttered. Stefan chuckled, thankful that Caroline hadn't tried to get herself out of this situation. Besides, he wanted to take her to a nice party, and what better party to take her to than one thrown by one of New York's richest families? The food arrived soon after and they began eating.

"Oh my god, these waffles are to die for," Caroline moaned as she took another bite of her breakfast.

"The sandwich is pretty good too," Stefan replied as he took another bite of his breakfast as well. Caroline smiled before taking a sip of her Macchiato and setting it back down on the table.

"I guess Kol Mikaelson does have better taste in food, than women," she smirked.

"Definitely," Stefan concurred, a smirk of his own forming on his lips.

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Once the two were done with breakfast, Stefan was true to his promise and took her out on the town. He took her to all the basic touristy places: Little Italy, Chinatown, Times Square, and they had visited MoMa and the Museum of Modern History. Their last stop for the day was Central Park.

"Oh my gosh!" Caroline squealed in amazement as she took in the view. Since it was mid-October the leaves were beginning to change to the warm dark reds and smoky orange colors of Fall. The sky was clear and sun was shining down on them.

"This is beautiful," Caroline said in awe, as she and Stefan walked down the path. Sure, Mystic Falls looked pretty nice during fall but it was mostly due to the decorations every one set out. It definitely did not compare to how Central Park looked.

"It really is a wonderful sight. I've been trying to get my hands on one of these apartments with a view to the park, but it aint easy," Stefan answered, chuckling as he Caroline act like a child who had just discovered the world's biggest toy store.

"When you do, I'm definitely moving with you!" she laughed, as she stared as the leaves fell slowly from the trees and watched the people around her. People were jogging, riding bikes, and moms were walking around with their kids in strollers. Everything looked so perfect.

"I could definitely get used to living in New York," she smiled.

"I'm glad I could help," Stefan replied.

"Thank you Stefan. This has been really nice of you," Caroline said, looking up at her friend and giving him a warm smile.

"Anything for you, Forbes," Stefan replied. As they continued walking down the path, he heard his name being called. It was when he turned around that he saw Kol jogging towards him.

"Here you are! I've been wondering why you weren't at the firm today," Kol stated, as he finally caught up with them.

"Yeah, I took the day off to give my friend a tour of the city. She's an old friend of mine who just moved here. Kol, meet Caroline Forbes. Caroline, Kol Mikaelson," Stefan said, introducing the two. Kol turned to face the blonde and a grin formed on his face. She was absolutely stunning.

"Enchante," Kol stated, as he grabbed Caroline's hand and kissed it softly.

"Is that a Mikaelson trait or something?" Caroline said, as she pulled her hand back quickly, "because that is exactly what your brother did yesterday." She did have to admit, the Mikaelson brothers seemed to be an attractive bunch. Kol had short brown hair and light brown eyes, and the black v-neck he wore accentuated his biceps.

"Which one, dear? I have a few," Kol smirked in response.

"Klaus."

"Oh, so you've had the pleasure of meeting my dearest brother," he stated.

"Unfortunately," she muttered.

"Caroline," Stefan warned.

"What? The guy backed me up against a wall and tried to kiss me after I basically told him to fuck off! I have a right to be pissed," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's Nik for you," Kol laughed.

"Yeah, well I don't like him," Caroline said simply, before looking down at her watch. "Ugh, shit. I have to head back to the apartment and get ready for work."

"You want me to take you back?" Stefan questioned.

"No, it's fine Stefan. You wouldn't want to leave Kol by himself," she said, pointing to the younger Mikaelson.

"I'm a big boy darling, I assure you I can take care of myself…just as well as I can take care of a woman," he smirked in response, waggling his eyebrows.

"Ugh, you're disgusting. I'm leaving. Thank you for today, Stefan! It was wonderful! Kol, it was nice to-…bye!" she said quickly, before heading off to hail a cab. Kol stared at Caroline's retreating figure, admiring her fantastic behind.

"You're drooling, Kol," Stefan said, as he watched the younger Mikaelson ogle Caroline, just as Klaus had done the night before.

"She's a delightful creature," Kol answered, as he turned to face Stefan.

"And she's also off-limits for you. Your brother has already staked his claim on her," Stefan stated as he continued walking down the direction he'd been heading in, Kol walking next to him.

"Nik does have great taste in women. Can't say I blame him for picking her," Kol shrugged.

"Yeah, well he better not hurt her," Stefan stated, staring off into the distance.

"Anyways, onto a nicer subject…care to join me for lunch mate? Elijah was supposed to join me, but cancelled last minute because of some drama with his new girlfriend," Kol muttered, the disappointment obvious in his voice.

"Sure," Stefan replied, as the two men kept talking and headed to lunch.

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It had taken Caroline a good 45 minutes to get home because of an accident near her apartment building. She rushed upstairs and jumped into the shower. Once she was done she changed into her work attire, and headed to the kitchen, wanting to make herself a quick lunch/dinner. As she was in the middle of making herself a sandwich, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked, as she took out a cup. No answer, but another knock.

"Seriously? Who is it?" she asked once more, getting irritated. No answer.

"Ok, whoever you are if you're here to kill me or something I have kitchen drawer stocked with very sharp knives and I'm not afraid to use them!" she yelled. Then she heard a familiar chuckle followed by a remark.

"I don't think it's wise to warn your attacker of what you'd do to them sweetheart. Use the element of surprise." It was Klaus. She quickly set the cup down on the counter and walked to the door, turning the locks and opening. There stood Klaus, in all his suit-wearing glory.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I wanted to make sure you got my gift," Klaus stated, as he took a step to head inside, but was stopped as Caroline placed a hand in front of him.

"I don't remember the part where I said you could come in," she bit out. Klaus chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her.

"A bit rude today, aren't we?" he remarked, as he leaned against the doorway.

"I'm also in a rush because I have to get to work, so you can leave if you want," she answered.

"Did you get my gift?" he questioned once more, though he knew the answer. Hell, he had no reason to come here at all. But he knew he had to see her again, and what better excuse to use than the bracelet.

"Yes, I did. Happy? You can go now," Caroline said, as she moved to close the door but was stopped as Klaus pushed the door back.

"Did you like it?"

"No, I hated it."

"No need for sarcasm, love," he smirked.

"Who said it was sarcasm?"

"Come on, every woman loves a diamond bracelet. You can't be the exception," he retorted.

"Fine, I loved it. It was beautiful. Thank you, now can you go? I'm hungry and I need to leave for work," Caroline replied, placing a hand on her hip. Klaus nodded as he moved back, "Of course." Caroline gave him a small smile, thankful that he'd finally agreed to leave. Just as she was closing the door, his voice stopped her.

"I heard Stefan was taking a date to my sister's welcome party on Friday, and of course I'm sure that he meant you. I look forward to seeing you again, Caroline," he said, a few steps away from the door.

"Can't say the feeling's mutual," she replied, before closing the door. Klaus only chuckled in response. She was impossible, but he felt an undeniable pull to her. Friday really could not come sooner.

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AN: Well, how was it? Your reviews are always appreciated!


	4. Chapter 3

AN: I'm back! Hope you all enjoy this next chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it.

** ~O~O~**

Several days had passed and it was finally the night before the big party. Stefan had received the invitation on Tuesday evening and he'd gone over to Caroline's house and showed it to her.

"Please join the Mikaelson family Friday evening at 7 o'clock for dancing, cocktails, and in celebration of the return of Rebekah Mikaelson," Caroline read aloud, as her and Stefan rested on her sofa, munching on some popcorn as they watched a movie.

"It's supposed to very formal. So I suggest you go dress shopping, Forbes," Stefan stated, as he grabbed a handful of popcorn and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Darn. And to think I was planning on showing up in sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt," Caroline said sarcastically, as she popped a piece of popcorn in her mouth. "Ever the sarcastic one, Caroline."

"It's one of my best assets, Salvatore. I'd think you'd be used to it by now," Caroline answered, quirking an eyebrow at Stefan. "Unfortunately, I am," he joked, which caused Caroline to playfully glare at him and throw a handful of popcorn at him.

"But yeah, I do need to go buy a dress. Wanna come with me?" Caroline asked.

"I have work, Care. And besides, what do I look like your gay best friend?" Stefan questioned.

"Well, you haven't been with a woman in a while so I am starting to question your sexuality…," Caroline teased, earning a soft punch on the arm from Stefan. Caroline only laughed in response and turned her attention back to the movie.

As it turned out, Stefan left work early the next day and had accompanied Caroline on a hunt for a perfect dress. It took them countless stores, and countless hours of walking but she had finally picked out the perfect dress.

"It's gorgeous!" Caroline exclaimed, as she exited the dressing room, the perfect dress in her hands. Soon, her hands wandered to find the price tag which rested on the side of the gown. Immediately, she let out a gasp and looked back up.

"Ugh, I can't," she groaned, prepared to hang the dress backup and continue on the search for a new one.

"Why not?"

"It's too expensive," she sighed, as she looked at the dress, a dreamy look in her eyes. Stefan only shook his head in response and walked towards her, grabbing the dress out of her hands and heading to the cashier.

"I'm buying it for you. Think of it as a Welcome present," he replied, seeing her confused face, which immediately shifted to one of pure happiness.

"Seriously?!" she exclaimed, trying not to jump up and down with joy. Stefan nodded, smiling at seeing his best friend so overjoyed.

Caroline's smile grew as she rushed over to Stefan and hugged him.

"Thank you so much Stefan! I owe you!" she exclaimed, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Stefan chuckled and hugged her back.

"You don't owe me anything, Caroline. I want to do this for you," Stefan smiled, as he stepped back from the embrace and looked at Caroline. She looked up at him and smiled.

"You're the best."

"I know."

** ~O~O~**

Now Caroline stood in front of her dresser, various pieces of jewelry laid out in front of her as she decided what to wear for the party.

"Ugh, this is so frustrating!" she exclaimed, running a hand through her blonde curls. She kept pacing back and forth as she looked at the jewelry. Everything she owned was nice and would look okay with the dress, she even had the gorgeous pair of earrings and the bracelet she'd worn on her prom night, but nothing would truly go perfect with the dress. Then, she turned her head to her nightstand. There was one accessory that would match perfectly with the dress. She walked over to the nightstand and opened the first drawer, reaching in and pulling out the Tiffany's box. She opened it and stared down at the bracelet Klaus had gotten her. It was stunning, and the perfect match for her perfect dress. Not to mention she had a pair of earrings that would go with it. She grabbed the bracelet and placed it down on her dresser, next to the pair of drop sapphire earrings that would go with the dress.

"Perfect."

** ~O~O~**

Friday afternoon passed by quickly for everybody. Stefan worked all day at the firm, helping Klaus with the Robinson case, seeing as how they were both in charge of it. Kol harassed them most of the time, constantly whining about how he didn't have a date for the party. Caroline had gotten up at around early in the morning and had gone jogging at Central Park, happy to get some exercise in. She'd spent the rest of the day making sure everything was ready for the party, before heading to the White Oak Bar during late afternoon to see if someone could take her shift.

"Please, Rose. Please please pleaseeee take my shift tonight!" Caroline pleaded, as she followed the red head around the establishment.

"I have plans tonight, toots. Date with some guy my friend Lyanna's trying to set me up with," Rose answered, as she set down the chairs. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"From what you've told me, all the guys she's set you up with have been complete douchebags! What makes you think this one's going to be any different?" Caroline countered, setting down the chairs along with Rose, who only shrugged at Caroline's comment.

"I gotta be optimistic. We can't all be cynics like you," Rose answered, giving Caroline a pointed look. Caroline shot her a glare. She'd informed Rose of her past relationships, and their disastrous endings, and how she had given up on love because all guys were the same.

"It's not being cynical, it's called being realistic," Caroline chimed in as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Whatever," Rose muttered, giving her back to Caroline as she headed to the supply closet. "Oh come on, please Rose! My friend invited me to this really nice party and I really want to go!" Caroline exclaimed. Rose came back out of the closet, cleaning products in hand, as she raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh, what kind of party?" she questioned. "It's a Welcome party for his boss's party. The Mikaelsons, maybe you've heard of them?" Rose's eyes widened at the mention of the last name, which Caroline took notice of.

"You know them?" she asked.

"One of them," Rose answered, as she began cleaning one of the tables, "and god that was definitely an amazing fuck." Caroline's jaw dropped slightly and her eyes widened before she burst out into giggles.

"ROSE! Which one?!" she asked, a part of her hoping it wasn't Klaus. She knew he wasn't one to keep it in his pants, and though she didn't really care for him, it would bother her to know he'd slept with Rose.

"The oldest one," Rose muttered, moving to clean another table. Caroline's eyebrows raised in surprise, "Elijah? He looks like a stiff."

"Oh, well he definitely had a stiff one. God, that man is sex on legs," Rose groaned, memories of that one night stand rushing to her heard. Caroline raised her hands up to her ears and covered them, shaking her head. "Ok, I don't need to hear about your sexual escapades with Elijah Mikaelson, thank you very much!" Caroline stated. Rose looked at the younger blonde in front of her and laughed. Caroline looked at her once more and shook her head, "you're too much, Rose."

"I wasn't too much for him," Rose continued, waggling her eyebrows. "Stop!" Caroline laughed, pointing a finger at her.

"Ok, I'm done with the sexual innuendos," Rose chuckled, as she continued wiping the tables.

"So will you please cover my shift for tonight?" Caroline asked, giving Rose her most winning smile. The older red head turned her gaze to her and shook her head as a smile formed on her lips. "Fine. But you owe me!" she answered. Caroline let out a delighted laugh and jumped up and down before giving Rose a quick hug.

"Thank you so much! I promise, I'll make it up to you!" Caroline smiled, as she headed for the door.

"Say hi to my dear fuck buddy for me!" Rose yelled after her. Caroline only raised her hand, giving her thumbs up in response before heading out the door.

Caroline hailed a cab and headed home. One she reached her apartment, she rushed upstairs and began getting ready. She undid her ponytail and quickly went to work on her hair, deciding to leave it down and curl it. Once she finished, she applied her makeup, not putting much on for she wanted to look natural. Then, she slipped on her dress smiling as she looked in the mirror. It was strapless with a blue sequined floral pattern and a sweetheart neckline, which showed just the right amount of cleavage. The dress hugged her body and showed off her curves. Caroline then put on her nude pumps, before moving on to her hairdresser where the jewelry was. She put on the sapphire drop earrings and then carefully clasped on the bracelet Klaus had given her. As she reached into her closet to find her sapphire colored clutch, she heard a buzz on the intercom. She pulled out the clutch and quickly rushed over to the intercom, pressing the button before speaking into it. "Stefan?"

"Yes, Care it's me. I'm downstairs already, so hurry up!" he stated. Caroline rolled her eyes, even if he couldn't see her. "I'll be right there Mr. Grouchy Pants." She headed back into her room, placing her cell phone and ID in her clutch and spraying on some perfume before heading down. As she exited the elevator, she saw Stefan looking very handsome and sharp in his tuxedo, leaning against a limo, looking bored. She walked out and Stefan quickly turned to look at her, his mouth opening slightly as she stared at his best friend.

"Wow, Care. You look gorgeous," he stated, as he walked over to her and hugged her. She smiled and looked down at her dress, "Thank you once again Stefan. I wouldn't be able to look this good without you," she teased. "Anytime, Forbes. Now, shall we head out to the party?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. She nodded before pointing towards the limo, "Really?" she questioned. Stefan only shrugged and led Caroline to the limo, opening the door for her.

"What can I say? Mikael wanted to be as accommodating as possible with me and my date," he answered, as he slid in beside Caroline.

"How thoughtful of him," she laughed as the driver began driving to their destination.

Forty five minutes later, they had arrived at where the party was being held. The Mikaelsons had decided to host their daughter's welcome party at their Summer Vacation home, which was outside the city. The limo pulled up in the driveway, and Caroline looked out the window.

"Wow, this place is gorgeous," she said in awe as she took in the mansion. It was a gorgeous, two story cream colored mansion with a balcony facing the driveway. Lights hung from the top of the mansion, illuminating the guests that stood below, chatting and drinking. Stefan stepped out of the limo and Caroline followed after him. As they walked to the entrance of the house, several of Stefan's coworkers waved at him and usually gave Caroline a once over and a smirk. She rolled her eyes at their reactions but couldn't help but laugh as well. She locked her arm with Stefan's as they stepped into the Mikaelson mansion, her jaw dropping slightly as she took in the inside of the mansion. A large crystal chandelier hung in the middle of the ceiling, sparkling beautifully. The floor was a beige tile, leading to two curved marble staircases that led to the second floor, decorated with an intricately designed iron railing.

"Nice isn't it?" Stefan asked, as he saw his best friend's expression. Caroline only shook her head, her mouth still open and her eyes wide. "It's freaking stunning! Totally gonna sneak into the house and live here!" she exclaimed, earning a chuckle from a man near them.

"Well my dear, as long as you manage to keep the house clean my wife and I wont object." Both turned their heads to see Mikael standing next to them.

"Mr. Mikaelson," Stefan nodded, "this is my friend, Caroline Forbes. Caroline, this is my boss Mr. Mikaelson." Caroline gave Mr. Mikaelson a small smile, slightly intimidated by the man's stare.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Mikaelson," Caroline smiled, as she extended her hand out to shake his own. Mikael looked down at her dainty hand before taking it into his own, placing a soft kiss on it. 'Seriously?' Caroline thought, trying hard to not roll her eyes at the ever familiar Mikaelson gesture.

"Nice to meet you as well, Caroline. But please, call me Mikael," he answered, smiling at the blonde before taking a sip of his drink. As Mikael parted his lips to say something, he heard someone calling for him.

"Father! Come here! Mr. Jackson has been asking for you for quite a while," Kol said, a few feet away from the trio. His gaze went from Mikael to Caroline, his eyes raking over her form. Their eyes met and he smirked at her, "Caroline, dear. Looking lovely as always."

"How charming," she stated, rolling her eyes at the younger Mikaelson. Mikael turned to them, excusing himself, before heading over to where Kol and Mr. Jackson were speaking. Caroline then turned to Stefan, an expectant look in her eye.

"So, what do we do now Salvatore? I've never really been to one of these shindigs," Caroline said.

"Well, we could start with me getting us some drinks," Stefan answered. Caroline smiled, nodding in response.

"I'll be right back then. Don't go and find another date, Forbes. Or I'll be sure to never invite you to another party again!" Stefan warned as he started walking away.

"Correction, I was forced to come here!" She answered back, a giggle escaping from her lips. Stefan laughed in response as he walked towards the bar. Caroline looked around the mansion, watching as guests chatted, drinking from their champagne flutes, and all dressed impeccably. Something caught her eye. It was a beautiful painting, hung at the farther end of the house. She looked around for Stefan, and saw him at the bar, getting their drinks while chatting with what she presumed was a co-worker. He'll find me, she thought, as she made her way to the farther end of the house. Once she reached the painting she let her eyes drink in the art piece before her. It was a single snowflake, resting on the ground, surrounded by various branches as the snow drizzled down on it. It was simple, yet so beautiful and haunting. It gave her this feeling of loneliness…something she had become too familiar with after her move to New York. Sure, she had come here to follow her dreams but it came at a cost. She left her mom behind in Mystic Falls, along with the friends she'd made at Richmond. She did have Stefan, but with their different work schedules it was really difficult to come to an agreement and see each other regularly. She only wished she had someone else she could have to talk to.

"Enjoying the artwork, sweetheart?"

She hesitantly turned her head to her right to find Klaus standing there, hands behind his back and a dimpled smile gracing his face. He looked deliciously handsome in his tux and white bowtie.

"It's beautiful. But I wouldn't expect you to know anything about good art," Caroline stated, before turning to look at the painting once more. Klaus chuckled.

"On the contrary love, I happen to know a lot about good art," he answered, as he moved closer to her. Caroline scoffed at his reply. Yeah, right.

"In fact, I happen to know the man who drew this piece," he continued, as he watched her admire the art piece. She looked stunning. The dress clung to her curves deliciously so and he couldn't help but let his eyes roam to the small amount of cleavage the dress showed. It was only when he let his gaze travel lower that he noticed something. She was wearing the bracelet he had gotten her. She was actually wearing it.

"Oh really? Is he here? Who is he? I'd love to talk to him about this piece, since he's somebody who actually has good taste," Caroline answered, giving Klaus a pointed look. Klaus chuckled in response and rested against the wall.

"Are you saying that bracelet I gave you was not in good taste?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Ugh no that's not what I was-! Wait wha- you?" Caroline asked in disbelief, her eyes widening. Klaus smirked and nodded.

"Rich Upper East Side bad boy, who fucks anything with a skirt, is an artist. Shocking isn't it?" Klaus remarked, the sarcasm in his voice evident. Caroline looked down, ashamed of what she'd said. Seriously, who would've known? Stefan had never mentioned that Klaus drew, so that probably meant he didn't know either. Or maybe Stefan thought she would never give Klaus the time of the day. When she looked back up she saw Klaus walking away. She quickly caught up to him.

"When? How?" she asked, genuinely interested. Klaus looked at her, a look she couldn't describe in his eyes. As if he was trying to figure her out.

"I doubt you'd be interested," he replied as he continued walking around the party, Caroline following suit beside him. As a waiter passed by with a tray of champagne flutes, his hand moved up swiftly to grab one and he took a sip from it.

"Try me," Caroline answered. Klaus looked at her, hesitating. Did she really want to know about when he started drawing? Or was she just doing it to make up for what she'd said only a few moments ago? Wait, what did he care? This girl's interest or opinion shouldn't matter to him if all he wanted to do was fuck her…right? But he knew Caroline wasn't any other girl. Their first meeting had surely taught him that. And god, could she stop biting her lip and looking at him like that with those mesmerizing eyes of hers?

"I was 7. It was Christmas morning and my parents bought me a case of 60 colored pencils and a sketchpad. I'd always shown interest in drawing, constantly drawing on the walls with some of my sister's scented markers," he began. He motioned for her to follow him as they walked further into the house. Caroline giggled at the scented markers part. She could definitely imagine a young Klaus running around with a strawberry scented marker in his hand. Klaus looked at her and chuckled, shaking his head as he continued.

"Kol and Rebekah were jealous, of course. They always wanted anything me or my older brother's got," he continued, as they headed out to the backyard.

"At first, my drawings consisted of mainly stick figures and the adventures my brothers and I would pretend we'd go on. Pirates, super heroes, monsters, the works." They walked down the small steps and headed to the tables that were set in the backyard, each having a small candle in the middle.

"With school, my art work improved significantly. I took as many art classes as I could. I was fascinated with what could be done with watercolors and just the sheer beauty of it all," he continued, as they both sat down at a table. Caroline leaned forward, placing her head in her hand as she listened to his story. Klaus was being…normal. There were no witty remarks or sarcastic comments; it was him sharing a part of his life she knew most people probably didn't know much about.

"As I grew older, however my art shifted to a more personal style. It would reflect anything that was going on in my life at the moment. That snowflake one you were staring at was drawn during my high school years," he stated, as he took a sip of his champagne and stared out at the backyard, his mind somewhere else...Another time, another place.

"What was happening then?" Caroline asked. Klaus seemed to snap out of his daze at the moment and turned to face Caroline once again.

"That, love, is a story for another time," he smirked, setting his champagne flute down on the table. Caroline huffed, giving Klaus a semi-annoyed look.

"No fair!" she protested, crossing her arms over her chest. He let out a hearty laugh at her response and shrugged.

"I'm afraid life isn't fair, Caroline. I guess you'll just have to stay tuned for the next episode of the Niklaus Mikaelson Art journey," he commented, giving her a dimpled smile.

"Well, I gotta give it to you. Who would've thought someone like you could be so deep?" she stated.

"What can I say? You can't let just anyone know everything about you. If you do, you're opening yourself up to a world of criticism and pain," he answered, "your darkest secrets exposed. Past events you don't want to relive…everything. That's why I tend to keep a lot to myself."

As Klaus spoke to her, Caroline knew something was on his mind. Whatever had caused him to draw that painting was something that bothered him, something that haunted him. She could see it in his eyes, and didn't want to try and push the conversation any further, so she turned to a lighter tone.

"So you like being the handsome, mysterious bad boy, is that it?" she teased, raising a blonde eyebrow at him.

"You think I'm handsome then?" he smirked. A blush crept up her and neck and rose to her cheeks, making Caroline look away for a second. Damn him.

"No. I was merely stating what I'm sure is a probable consensus between all the women in New York," she answered back. Yeah, that would work.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Caroline. Though I'm sure I would, since I'm handsome and mysterious," he chuckled. Caroline shot him a glare, trying to keep the smile that was threatening to form on her lips from appearing. But it was to no avail. She couldn't help but let out small smile at his comment.

"Damn it, Mikaelson. You just had to go and steal my date, didn't you?" Both Caroline and Klaus turned to their heads to see Stefan reaching their table, drinks in hand.

"Caroline and I were merely having a conversation on how she thinks I'm a handsome, mysterious bad boy. Isn't that right, love?" he teased, turning to Caroline with a smirk in place. Caroline rolled her eyes.

"Do not." Stefan handed her her drink and she took it gladly, quickly taking a sip from it. Stefan laughed at his best friend's actions before turning to his other friend.

"Stop harassing the poor girl, Klaus," he joked. Klaus only chuckled, shrugging as he stood up from his seat. He raised his hands up in mock surrender as he turned to Caroline.

"My apologies, sweetheart," he smiled before turning to Stefan, "I'll leave you to your date now, mate." He turned to leave but quickly turned around once more.

"Caroline?" he asked. Caroline raised her eyebrows in question.

"Save me a dance, will you sweetheart?" he smirked.

"I'll think about it," she countered, earning a smile from Klaus.

"Good enough for me," he answered as he turned around and continued making his way inside the mansion. Caroline then turned to face Stefan, who was looking at her with an amused expression on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"You two seem to be getting along pretty well," he smiled, taking a drink of his scotch. Caroline sighed, placing her arms on the table.

"He's not as bad as I thought. Did you know he painted?" she answered, as she took a sip of her drink. Stefan nodded in response, resting his back against the chair.

"And you didn't tell me?" Caroline all but exclaimed.

"Does it matter?" he asked.

"Yes! It gives a man more depth if he's an artist…it makes him more alluring," she answered.

"So you think Klaus is alluring?" Stefan smirked, as he watched as Caroline's expression turned from a dreamy one to one of embarrassment.

"No! I- Ye- Ugh, I hate you Stefan," she muttered, taking a big gulp of her drink.

"I'm not judging, Care. But just remember what I told you," he responded. Caroline nodded.

"I know, I know. He's not good for me, stay away, blah blah blah. I got it. Now, do you wanna head back inside? These chairs are a bit uncomfortable," she replied. Stefan nodded, both of them standing up and heading back inside the mansion. More guests had arrived, and the room was buzzing with gossip and jokes. A beautiful piano melody traveled throughout the house as everyone continued with their conversation. 'I could get used to this', she thought, a smile on her face as she took in her surroundings. It was then she spotted Elijah, walking towards the front door. 'Maybe I could say hi to him and actually bring up Rose,' she thought, the thought amusing her. But her heart all but stopped as she saw who he was talking to. She looked stunning, the strapless burgundy colored gown clinging to her body, her dark brown hair up in an elegant bun, and a smile on her lips as she greeted Elijah. It was Elena.

She looked up at Stefan, hoping he hadn't noticed too, but felt her heart drop to her stomach as she saw the pained expression on his face. He had seen her too.

"What is she doing here?" he said to himself, but Caroline heard it.

"Are you okay?" she questioned. It had been about 4 years since the Elena ordeal, but Stefan was still not over it. Elena had been Stefan's high school sweetheart and he had given her everything. Caroline had never seen anyone love as fiercely as Stefan had. Seeing her now, hand in hand with Matt, couldn't be easy for him. Hell, it wasn't easy for her. Not only because her best friend had hurt him, but because she had hurt her too. Matt and Caroline had been dating their senior year, and were still going strong during college. Elena and Stefan had been ecstatic for them, seeing their best friends happy together. But somewhere along the lines, Matt began growing distant. He began staying later at school and working more shifts, usually leaving Caroline alone with a cold plate of dinner on the table. Finally, Matt broke up with her, saying that he just wanted to focus on school right now and that maybe a relationship wasn't the best idea. Yet two weeks later, she received the call from Stefan. He'd caught Elena and Matt sleeping together. Matt had gone to New York to visit Stefan, claiming it was to help with the breakup. Yeah, more like help to fuck over his best friend by fucking his girlfriend. It hadn't been easy for either of them, both losing who they considered their closest friends. But they had helped each other to get through it, and well they were still working on it, at least Stefan was.

"I need another drink," he muttered, before walking away from Caroline and to the bar. She watched him walk away, a heavy feeling in her chest. This night was supposed to be fun for them, not depressing. Caroline's eyes scanned over the room, looking for the one person she knew would know what was going on. She spotted him chatting with an older gentleman, his expression serious as he spoke to the other man. Caroline marched over to him, determined. Once she stood behind them, she cleared her throat and plastered on her sweetest smile. Both men turned their heads, and noticed the petite blonde standing next to them.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt. But could I please borrow Mr. Mikaelson for a second? I promise, it won't take long," she said, her voice sickeningly sweet. The older man let out a chuckle and nodded.

"Of course my dear! I should probably be looking for my wife anyways, she's a lightweight that one!" the man chucked heartily before giving Klaus a pat on the shoulder and heading off to find his wife.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Caroline? Here to admit that you do find me attractive?" Klaus smirked.

"As much as I'm sure you'd enjoy that and it'd give you an immense ego boost, no. I'm here to ask you what the hell," she began, grabbing Klaus's face and turning it to where Elena was, "she's doing here." Who the hell was she talking about, he thought. He only saw Elijah speaking to a blonde haired-blue eyed man and Elen-oh. Elena was here, and so was Stefan. Poor bloke, he thought knowing that Stefan probably wasn't faring too well. But what was Elena doing here? It was then he remembered that Elijah had told him he'd invited one of his newest clients to the party. He turned to Caroline, who was giving him a look that said 'yes I'm talking about that backstabbing bitch, now answer me!'. He grabbed her hand softly and removed it from his cheek, relishing in the softness of her hand.

"I'm sorry to say that she's most likely my brother's new client," he answered.

"So, what? You guys just invite your clients to your family's welcome parties? Like so casually?" Caroline questioned.

"We want to make a good impression on them, and what better impression to make on one of your new clients that inviting them to a party consisting of some of the richest people in Manhattan in one of the most expensive houses in this neighborhood?" Klaus replied. Caroline rolled her eyes at his answer.

"What does she need a lawyer for anyway?" she huffed, as she stared at the brunette from afar.

"I did hear my brother say something about her being an up and coming author, and that she wanted to get one of the best lawyers in New York in case anything happened in the future," he replied, following Caroline's gaze. She scoffed.

"Wonder where she's getting the money from," she muttered.

"Maybe she's secretly a drug dealer," Klaus joked, amused at the thought.

"Not funny," Caroline deadpanned.

"It was to me," he laughed. Caroline glared at him, clearly not amused.

"Poor Stefan, I can only imagine what he must be going through right now. Probably drinking himself into a stupor right now, I know I almost did," Caroline muttered softly. Klaus's head immediately snapped back to Caroline.

"What did you say?" he questioned. Did he just hear her correctly? What had happened that had almost caused her to do that.

"Nothing, it doesn't matter. I should probably go find Stefan," she sighed as she began walking away from him, stopping as she felt his hand wrap around her wrist.

"Don't leave me hanging sweetheart, what happened?" Klaus questioned. Why do you care? He thought. It's just Caroline. But that was it…it was Caroline he was talking about. Not some dumb bottle blonde. Maybe he didn't necessarily care for her, but she had gotten under his skin.

"A story for another time," she answered, freeing herself from his grasp and walking away from him.

** ~O~O~**

Stefan sat at the bar, downing his third scotch. This night was not going as planned. Why the fuck was Elena here? Why was Elijah talking to her? Why did he still care? The girl had broken his heart and he had lost his best friend because of it. She had messed up his life, and had left him empty. It had been 4 years…he shouldn't care anymore, but he couldn't help but miss her still. She had been his first love.

"Shit night isn't it?" he heard an accented voice say. He turned his head slightly to find a gorgeous blonde wearing a dark aqua gown that hugged her body, showing off her curves, and her hair in an elegant up do.

"Yup," he muttered, motioning for the bartender to get him another scotch.

"Rebekah Mikaelson," she said, extending her hand out to him. His head quickly snapped to the blonde next to him. This was Rebekah? The 'annoying little blonde brat' that Klaus sometimes talked about?

"Stefan Salvatore," he replied, shaking her hand. She raised an eyebrow as she took a sip of her martini.

"So you're Stefan," she stated. He nodded.

"You've heard of me?"

"My brother mentions you every so often when we talk. I'm sure he's mentioned me," she answered. He nodded again.

"All bad I hope," she smirked.

"Oh, the worst," he chuckled, enjoying the company of the blonde next to him. She smiled before her face turned solemn again.

"So what's got you so down, Mr. Salvatore?" she replied, as she took a seat next to him.

"Long story," he muttered, nodding in thanks to the bartender as he set down another glass of scotch in front of him.

"I've got nothing but time," was her answer. Stefan looked at her questioningly.

"Don't you have a party to enjoy?" he asked. She scoffed.

"You mean this party filled with pretentious old fools who act like they give a crap about me? Please, why do you think I'm sitting at the bar? I'm gonna need alcohol if I'm going to get through this night," she replied, taking a large gulp of martini. He took a drink of his scotch, setting the glass back down and twirling the liquid inside.

"Ex girlfriend," he stated, as he watched the liquid swirl around the glass.

"What about her?"

"I haven't seen her in 4 years. We were high school sweethearts; I was head over heels for her. We move to New York, hoping for a fresh start and kickstart to my career. I go to propose to her and find her in bed with my best friend." Rebekah watched silently as Stefan became mesmerized by the liquid, his jaw clenching as he retold the story. He had been hurt terribly by this girl, and something told her she was probably at the party.

"And let me guess, she's here tonight?" she questioned, resting an arm against the bar. Stefan pressed his lips together, nodding.

"I just don't know why," he muttered, before taking a long sip of his scotch.

"Well, she sounds like a bitch. And you don't deserve for your night to be ruined by the likes of her," she answered truthfully. Stefan turned his head to her and shrugged. "Can't help it."

"If I have any say in this, then yes," she said as she got out of her seat and grabbed his arm, about to pull him from his seat when a voice stopped her.

"Stefan?"

They both turned to see Elena standing a few feet away from them, her eyes widened in surprise. Rebekah felt Stefan tense under her. She let go off his arm and bent down to whisper in his ear.

"Don't let this girl get to you, Stefan. She's not worth it," she whispered. She stood up straight once more, giving Elena a once over before scoffing in disgust and walking away from them. They stared at each other for a few seconds, neither saying anything before Elena spoke up.

"Stef-," she began walking closer to him.

"What the hell are you doing here Elena?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I-I was invited," she answered.

"You're a guest of Elijah's?" She nodded in response.

"I hired him as my lawyer. I- I just published a book and I wanted to have a good lawyer just in case anything ever happened." She looked at him hesitantly before moving closer to him.

"And you just happened to hire someone from the same firm I work for? A bit of a coincidence isn't it?" Are you just purposely trying to hurt me? Cause if that was your plan, well then congratufuckinglations," Stefan bit back angrily. Elena shook her head.

"The name sounded familiar but I didn't remember that you worked for them. I would never hurt you on purpose, Stefan. You have to believe me," she replied, placing her hand on his shoulder. He immediately recoiled from her touch, letting out a sarcastic laugh.

"Oh that's rich, Elena. You would never hurt me on purpose? Did it occur to you that that's exactly what you did when you slept with Matt?" he said bitterly.

"I-,"

"You knew exactly what you were doing. You made the conscious decision to sleep with my best friend, Elena. My best friend. And not only were you hurting me, but you hurt Caroline too," he continued.

"They had broken up," Elena answered. Stefan chuckled darkly.

"Does that make what happened any better? Does it make it right, Elena? I'm sure in some twisted way it does to you. You sleep with your boyfriend's best friend, in the bed you share with him, and not only was he your boyfriend's best friend but he'd just broken up with YOUR best friend. But no, in your logic that's perfectly okay," he remarked, his tone dripping with pent up anger.

"Stefan, you've been drinking you don't mean to act like this," she said softly, as she moved to touch him again.

"Don't. Touch. Me," he said, "and I have been drinking but that doesn't mean that the way I'm acting is incorrect. You broke my heart, Elena. You ripped it out of my chest and stomped on it, until it was in a million tiny pieces. And you didn't give a damn. You left without as much as a look back," he barked angrily. Various party guests had now turned to watch the argument, making Elena blush furiously.

"Stefan, calm down. People are staring," she said softly.

"Oh, please stop acting like a shy little virgin Elena. That act might've been attractive back when you were 20, but now it's nothing but pitiful to watch." Elena's eyes filled with tears at his words. Soon enough, Matt was at her side.

"Stefan, you need to calm down," Matt warned.

"Oh, well look at who decided to join the party. If it isn't my old best friend! How are ya buddy? How does it feel to have my sloppy seconds?" Stefan remarked bitterly. Matt's eyes became livid and he was about to lunge forward until a familiar face stepped in front of him.

"Don't you dare," Caroline warned, giving Matt and Elena a cold gaze. They were soon joined by Klaus and Elijah who had noticed the argument only a few seconds before.

"Mate, I think we need to get you home," Klaus said, as he moved to grab Stefan.

Elijah looked at the spectacle in front of him and raised his hands in question.

"What is the meaning of this? What's going on?" He asked.

"Pent up feelings, backstabbing friends and exes. And I'm sorry if it's caused a disturbance," Caroline answered, giving Elijah an apologetic stare. Elijah nodded, seeming to understand, though his eyes showed otherwise.

"Elena, when you're done, you and your fiancée may join me outside so you can meet some other clients of mine," Elijah stated before walking away from the spectacle, causing the guests who had been watching to turn away from it as well and continue on with their conversation.

"He needs to watch what he says," Matt said angrily. Caroline scoffed.

"Are you kidding me? I'm surprised that's all he said. Elena broke his heart, Matt. What part of that don't you understand? Actually, don't answer that. Because you didn't give a damn when you broke mine and then went on to hurt me even further by sleeping with my best friend," Caroline answered angrily, her face flushing with anger. Matt looked down, not saying anything.

"Care we're both really sorr-," Elena began but was cut off by Caroline.

"Spare me, Elena. Please, don't waste your breath on apologizing to me. The one who truly deserves an apology is Stefan, and even then you don't deserve his forgiveness," Caroline answered, as she moved to help Klaus with Stefan, who had been listening carefully to their argument.

"It's been 4 years," Elena stated.

"That doesn't make it any less painful. But you wouldn't know anything about that, now would you? You don't know what it's like to feel abandoned or heartbroken because you've always been everyone's first choice," Caroline said bitterly.

"Easy love, you're making a scene," Klaus began, but closed his mouth when Caroline shot him an angry glare.

"No, I'm finishing this now. Because I don't plan on seeing their faces again," she said, before turning to Elena once more, "you never were a good friend. Everything had to revolve around you or you'd throw a fit. You weren't there when Damon broke my heart. No, instead you dated him. You weren't there when my dad left us, instead you constantly said how it'd be cool that I'd have another dad and not to mention brag about the fact that your parents had gotten you a new car. You were never there! But you know who was? Stefan. He's a true friend and a great guy. And you two are nothing but pathetic and pitiful, and I'm glad you're out of our lives." Tears threatened to fall but Caroline kept them at bay, not wanting to break down in front of them.

"Have a nice life," she muttered bitterly, before she motioned to Klaus for them to leave. He nodded quickly following behind her with Stefan in tow. The people who had been watching the spectacle remained quiet, in shock at what had just happened. But the glare that Klaus sent all of them caused them to once again return to their conversations. Once outside, he called for a limo to be sent for them. Stefan was mostly unconscious at this point, the alcohol getting to him, which made it a bit difficult for Klaus to hold him up. But he turned his gaze to Caroline as he heard a sniffle coming from her. She saw a tear making its way down her cheek and he looked away quickly. He hated seeing women cry, he never knew what to do. But with Caroline, it felt different. He felt the need to comfort her…he just didn't know how or why. A few minutes later, the limo pulled up. Caroline slid in first, Klaus following in with Stefan. Once he shut the door, Caroline spoke to the limo driver and gave him Stefan's address. She rested her head against the leather limo seat and turned her head to face out the window. Stefan's head drooped to the side and landed on her shoulder, causing Caroline to turn her head. She looked down at Stefan's sleeping face and smiled sadly. She could feel Klaus's gaze on her and slowly looked up to meet it.

His eyes held something she couldn't really place. Maybe pity? Of course he would feel pity for her. She'd just made a fool out of herself and exposed some personal information to most of Manhattan's elite. But it felt good to let everything out and tell Elena off once and for all.

"Thanks," she said softly, giving him a small smile.

"Anytime, love," Klaus answered, giving a small smile in return. Caroline once again turned her head to face the window, not wanting to look at Klaus. He felt bad for her, and if there was one thing she hated was someone else's pity. It made her feel weak. But at the same time, she wished that he'd comfort her and tell her it was okay. But that was a ridiculous notion, wasn't it? The rest of the ride was filled with silence, occasionally interrupted by Stefan's drunken/sleeping mumbles. When they finally reached Stefan's apartment, Caroline helped Klaus get Stefan out of the limo.

"I can take it from here," she mumbled. But Klaus didn't listen, taking the majority's weight on himself so that Caroline didn't have to carry as much. The elevator ride was quiet as well, making Caroline wish they were already at Stefan's apartment so that she didn't have to deal with him being there. The elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the hallway, making their way down until they reached Stefan's. Klaus pressed in the code to get in and the door unlocked. He opened the door, helping Caroline carry Stefan in and place him on his bed. Caroline took off his shoes before pulling the covers up halfway wanting to make sure he was comfortable. She turned off the light and they both stepped out of the bedroom, heading towards the door.

"Thank you, again. And I'm sorry for what happened at the party I-," she began but Klaus but his finger up motioning for her to stop.

"No need to thank or apologize, love. It's alright," he smiled. Caroline smiled back, opening the door.

"Maybe you're not as bad as I thought, Mikaelson," she said, leaning against the doorway as Klaus stepped out onto the hallway. He chuckled.

"Yeah? So does that make me the not so mysterious bad boy?" he asked. Caroline let out a small laugh.

"Bad? Not so much. Mysterious, yes. You never finished the story you were telling me," Caroline reminded him. Klaus snapped his fingers, as if suddenly remembering that little detail.

"That's right. Hm, well maybe I could make it up to you? Breakfast tomorrow?" He said, giving her a hopeful gaze, or what Caroline recognized as puppy dog eyes.

"Make it lunch, and I'm in," she smirked. Klaus nodded, a dimpled smile gracing his handsome features.

"Perfect. See you tomorrow then, sweetheart. Sweet dreams," he said, moving closer to Caroline and placing a small kiss on her cheek before walking away. Caroline's hand quickly moved to her cheek, running her fingers over where he'd kissed her. She had to admit, he'd left her a little breathless. She shook herself from her daze , shutting the door and heading back inside the apartment. She rummaged through Stefan's closet, slipping out of her dress and into his old football t-shirt which was slightly big on her. She then moved to the bathroom, washing her face to remove the makeup. She'd remembered that Stefan had said he owned a pull out couch, so she headed back inside his closet, quickly finding some sheets before heading into the living room. She set up the pull out couch and climbed in, laying her head against the pillow she'd grabbed from Stefan's bed.

The night had definitely not gone as planned, and she had wanted nothing more than to break down when she got to Stefan's apartment. But Klaus…Klaus had made everything better. Surprisingly enough. She'd seen a different side of him today, and no matter how much she hated to admit, she liked it. Maybe getting to know him wouldn't be so bad.

** ~O~O~**

****AN: So, what did you guys think? I'd love some feedback :) Also, I'll put up the links to Caroline and Rebekah's dresses on my profile soon. Hope you all liked it :)


	5. Chapter 4

**AN: Hi everyone! I kinda struggled writing this chapter, so i'm not too sure about how it came out. Hopefully, you all still enjoy it!**

**~O~**

Stefan bolted up from his bed, and quickly let out a loud groan. Had he been hit by a train or something? His head was pounding, his mouth felt dry and he felt like death. Yet, the delicious smell of someone cooking caught his attention. Had he left with anyone after the party? That's when it came back to him. He'd seen Elena…they spoke. What he said, he didn't remember but he was sure it wasn't good. And how the hell had he gotten home?

He slipped out of bed, heading to the bathroom and quickly washing his face and mouth. He then walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen, letting out a small chuckle at the sight before him. Caroline was standing over the stove, cooking breakfast. She had turned on the radio and was currently singing along to the song, using the spatula as her microphone.

"_Shot through the heart, and you're too late! Darlin' you give love a bad name_!" she sang, her blonde curls bouncing as she moved her head from side to side. She turned off the stove, still singing and dancing a bit when she turned around, her expression shifting to one of embarrassment. Stefan let out another chuckle before sitting down on one of the stools.

"Your singing hasn't helped my headache much, Care," he half joked, half meant. Caroline wasn't a bad singer, but it didn't help that his head was pounding. Caroline proceeded to turn off the radio before looking at Stefan.

"And he lives!" she joked. Stefan shot her a glare in return. Caroline took out two dishes from the cabinet and put the food on their plates, setting one down in front of Stefan. She'd cooked pancakes, bacon, hash brown, and some eggs. Stefan's mouth watered at the sight before him, grabbing his fork and knife and digging in. Caroline opened the fridge door and took out a jug of orange juice pouring some into a cup for her and a cup for Stefan. She placed a cup in front of Stefan along with two Advils.

"Those should help." She walked over to the other side of the kitchen counter, sitting down on the stool and joining Stefan for breakfast. They were quiet for several minutes as they both ate, before Stefan spoke up.

"So, what happened last night?" he asked. Caroline looked up from her food and sighed.

"Well, you seemed to be telling Elena off pretty well. So good in fact, that Matt almost beat the shit out of you. But thankfully, your blonde sidekick," she said, pointing to herself, "was there to save the day." Stefan's eyes widened and he ran a hand through his hair.

"And I told them off too. I kinda ended things once and for all. And I gotta admit, it felt good," Caroline added. She took a sip of her orange juice, watching Stefan's expression as she told him what had happened.

"The party—how did I get home?" he asked.

"You had a bit of an audience formed; they were all very enthralled with your performance Mr. Salvatore," she teased. Stefan shot her another glare.

"I work with most of those people Care…I can only imagine what they think of me now…" he trailed off, before stuffing his mouth with hash browns.

"So what? You had every right to tell Elena off Stefan. She's a cold, heartless bitch who deserved everything that was coming to her. And Matt is a stupid coward," she answered, "anyways, before I upset my stomach by getting angry at those two, I'll move on from that."

"By the time I finished telling both of them off, you were passed out. Klaus helped me get you inside the limo and he even accompanied me back home and helped me bring you upstairs," Caroline continued. Stefan's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Really?"

Caroline nodded. "Maybe he's not as bad as you make him out to be Stefan." He scoffed at her answer.

"You don't know him like I do, Care," he warned, before scarfing down the rest of his breakfast. Caroline let out a loud sigh, eating just a few more bites of her breakfast before pushing the plate away from her. She finished her orange juice, then grabbed her and Stefan's plate and placed them in the sink.

"Well, hopefully I'll be able to get to know him just a little bit more…I'm having lunch with him today," she said as she washed the dishes. Stefan nearly choked on the Advil and orange juice he was swallowing. Had he heard her correctly?

"Care..." he began but was cut off as she let out a loud groan and turned off the faucet quickly. She looked at him with an angered gaze.

"Stefan, I am not 16 anymore. You don't always have to be the protective 'older brother'," she stated forming two quotation marks in the air as she used the term older brother. "I'm 25 years old. I can make my own decisions. And if Klaus ends up fucking me over in the end, then boo-freaking-hoo for me. I'll learn my lesson then. This is the first guy who's given me the time of day in a long time Stefan, and I'm interested in getting to know him."

Stefan stayed quiet throughout the duration of her mini-rant. He let out a sigh and shrugged once she finished. "Okay."

She looked taken aback by his answer, and furrowed her eyebrows as she eyed him suspiciously. "Really?" Stefan nodded in response. Immediately, a small smile formed on her lips.

"Thank you, Stefan," she smiled, walking over to him and giving him a small hug. Now it was his turn to be taken aback. "What for? If anything I should be thanking you for saving my ass last night."

"For giving me your blessing," she answered, "and it's alright. I'm sure you'll find some way to repay me." She headed over to his closet, grabbing her dress and slipping on a pair of Stefan's sweatpants. She walked out of his room and grabbed her clutch, which rested on his coffee table.

"Sure, just steal more of my clothes why don't you?" he joked.

"I was not about to leave your apartment wearing only an oversized t-shirt. Uh uh. Not happening. Now if you excuse me, I have to head back to my apartment and get ready for my lunch date. You gonna be alright without me?" she questioned, as she also grabbed a pair of Stefan's flip flops and slipped them on.

"Yup. I plan on recovering for the rest of the day," Stefan said, as he got up from the stool and headed over to the dark brown leather couch. Caroline smiled as she opened the door, giving Stefan one last look.

"I'll be sure to tell you it goes," she said. Stefan clasped his hands together and his eyes widened. "And then you could totally come over and we could gossip and do each other's nails!" he said sarcastically. Caroline narrowed her eyes, shooting Stefan a glare.

"Asshole," she muttered as she gave him the finger.

"Sorry Care, but you really need to get yourself some girlfriends," he stated, as he pressed the remote and turned on the TV.

"You're still an asshole!" she exclaimed as she began shutting the door.

"Love ya too!" he answered back, chuckling. He turned his attention back to the TV, changing the channel to USA as he watched a re-run of Law & Order. As a snarky blonde appeared on screen, his mind shifted to another blonde he vaguely remembered meeting the night before: Rebekah Mikaelson. Besides being able to enjoy the night with Caroline a bit, Rebekah had been the other bright side of the evening. She'd been a breath of fresh air, calling him out on having to get over her and then telling him Elena wasn't worth it. It was all true, and though Caroline did tell him once in a while that he had to get over Elena for good, Rebekah had been very straight up about it. 'Hopefully I'll see her at the firm on Monday,'Stefan pondered as he turned his attention back to the show.

**~O~**

Caroline had exited Stefan's apartment building and was walking down the sidewalk, when she came across a newsstand that had a very familiar face on it. The top rack of the newsstand carried the latest copy of The New York Times, and on the front page was none other than Elena.

_A new face joins the literary community in New York City. Elena Donovan's __**The Hybrid**__ tells the tale of a family of original vampires and the one son sentenced to live with a curse that he would try to break for the next thousand years. Doppelgangers, a small town in Virginia, booze and blood all make up this captivating story. Pick up a copy at your nearest bookstore! _

Caroline rolled her eyes. The writer continued praising Elena's work, praising how sweet the young girl was and how she had a bright future ahead of her. If only they knew the real Elena, Caroline thought as she was about to set the newspaper back down before something caught her eye. **Mikaelson Ball, return of youngest daughter!** She quickly flitted through the pages before landing on page 6, which featured the same title along with a picture of the Mikaelson children. Mikael may have been a bit intimidating, and she may have not had a chance to meet their mother but she had to give it to them: they had the most gorgeous children she'd ever seen. They all stood on one of the staircases at the mansion. Klaus had his back against the railing, a leg raised on one of the steps and smirk in place as he held a glass of champagne in his hand. Elijah and Kol faced the camera both looking dapper in their suits and with a glass of champagne in their hand as well. The other two she guessed were Finn, the oldest and Rebekah, the one who the party had been before. Finn was handsome as well, but looked kind of plain. Rebekah was stunning though.

"Obviously, their gene pool is perfect," she muttered to herself as she skimmed over the article before placing it back down on the rack.

"I think perfect is rather extreme." She looked up to see Elijah standing there, looking slightly disheveled.

"I don't think we were ever formally introduced. I'm Elijah Mikaelson." He extended his hand out, a kind smile on his face.

"Caroline Forbes," she replied. Elijah nodded, "I've heard a bit about you from Stefan."

"Oh, like what?"

"How you helped him through some of his darkest times. He never elaborated but after witnessing what happened last night, I can say I have a pretty accurate idea of what occurred," he replied. Caroline looked down at her feet, embarrassed.

"Yeah..sorry about that," she said softly.

"It's alright. All high society parties need to have their dramatic spectacles, don't they?" he joked. Caroline raised her head, laughing and nodding in agreement.

"So what brings you to this side of town?" she questioned, referring to the fact that Stefan lived on the Upper West Side, and the Mikaelson's lived on the Upper East Side.

"Visiting my girlfriend. She has an apartment in Stefan's building. However, it wasn't as nice of a visit as I was expecting it to be," he replied, his voice lowering at the end. Caroline gave him a questioning look.

"What happened? If you don't mind me asking , that is."

Elijah let out a loud sigh. "She said I don't give her any time anymore and that she sees me looking at other women, which is absurd," he replied, his face clearly showing his frustration.

"Well maybe she's just insecure." Elijah shook his head, motioning for him and Caroline to move out of the way as a customer stepped forward to purchase something from the newsstand. "It's not insecurity. It's manipulation. She's been like this since we started dating."

"Then dump her," Caroline stated simply. If the girl was being difficult, Elijah really shouldn't give her the time of day. He seemed like way too nice of a guy to put up with that.

"She dumped me," he replied. Caroline's eyes widened and she put her hands up to her mouth.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry! But at least you're free of her now," she answered, trying to be as sympathetic as possible.

"I wish it were that easy," he mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Caroline furrowed her eyebrows.

"You see, the reason I started dating her in the first place is because her father is one of my father's top clients. He wanted to really secure that clientele and relationship by having me date Tatia," Elijah answered. Caroline's eyes widened.

"You're dating Tatia Petrova?! The daughter of Cristoph Petrova, as in the designer?! HE'S LIKE THE RALPH LAUREN OF OUR GENERATION!" Caroline squealed. Elijah laughed at her reaction and nodded.

"That's the one," he answered.

"He's such an inspiration to me! I mean coming from Bulgaria and having nothing and working his way up to where he is right now? It's just, inspiring," Caroline said in awe.

"You want to be a designer?" Elijah questioned. Caroline nodded, a shy smile on her face as she looked down at her feet.

"I think that's wonderful, Caroline. Have you tried applying for a job or internship of any sort?" he asked. She immediately lifted her head, meeting his gaze. Most people, besides Stefan, laughed about the possibility of her becoming or wanting to be a designer. They would say she had no chance in hell, or they would say "how typical. The blonde cheerleader wants to be a fashion designer." And now, she had Elijah Mikaelson, one of the richest men in Manhattan and one she considered to be quiet serious, telling her that it was a wonderful idea. It made her feel good about herself.

"Yes. Ever since I was in high school, I've been trying to get an internship but I've never gotten accepted or they would say they're not looking for an intern at the time. It's been difficult, but I'm not giving up any time soon," she smiled, happy to share her plans with someone other than Stefan.

"Good. You know, I could get you an internship with Cristoph…he already sees me as his son anyways," he said. Caroline shook her head immediately.

"It's very thoughtful of you Elijah, but this is something I kinda wanna do myself, you know?" she answered. Elijah nodded in understanding.

"Of course. Well, Caroline it's been lovely talking to you but I'm afraid I have to head to the firm. I hope to see you soon. You've made quite the impact on Stefan's life, and I see you're starting to do the same for my brother," Elijah smiled.

"On Klaus? How? I've met him like three times," she said, shaking her head at the notion that she had made some sort of impact on Klaus Mikaelson. Yeah, he had been nice and slightly endearing the night before but that didn't change the fact that he had a reputation for sleeping with anything with a skirt and pulse. He was one of the most notorious womanizers in New York. Yeah…no. Elijah had to be kidding. He chuckled at her reaction.

"Maybe not a significant impact…but I see changes in Niklaus. And something tells me you've had a part in it." Caroline stood there, shocked at what Elijah had just said. Had she really changed something in Klaus? She couldn't really believe it…Elijah had to be joking. She didn't even know what she could've said or done to make some sort of impact on him. Maybe Klaus had been trying some new sex position with one of his ever changing 'girlfriends' or whatever they were to him and that was what was making him different. Before she could even bring up that idea to Elijah however, he waved goodbye as a black town car pulled up by the newsstand.

"Rose says hi!" she blurted out. Oh god, had she actually said that? Elijah's face showed his confusion, but in a moment, it turned to one of embarrassment. He parted his lips as if to say something, but decided not to, waving once again at Caroline before sliding inside the town car.

Caroline slapped her hand against her forehead_. Way to go Caroline_, her subconscious muttered, as she hailed a cab and headed back to her apartment, wanting to shower and get ready for her date with Klaus.

**~O~**

Glass shattered against the wall, falling to the floor. Klaus watched, his eyes glazed and his breathing heavy. He thought last night had gone well. There was the complication of the Stefan/Elena argument, but he had had the chance to take Caroline home and had asked her out to lunch. But his plans had been ruined the moment he returned back to the party.

_Klaus stepped into the mansion once more, the party still in full swing. The mindless chatter hung in the air and he rolled his eyes as he headed over to the bar. He ordered a scotch, resting his elbows on the bar as he contemplated where he would take Caroline to lunch the next day. It was then that he felt a small hand wrap around his arm. He turned his head slightly and saw Rebekah._

"_Ah, sister. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, as he took a sip of his drink. _

"_Nik, its mother. She ran out of one of the guest bedrooms…she was crying. Then I heard father yelling after her," Rebekah stated, worried. Klaus sighed, turning to his face his sister._

"_I'm sure it's some marital spat, Rebekah. Nothing to trouble yourself over," he replied calmly. Rebekah shook her head, her eyes frantic._

"_I think this is more serious than that. I've never seen father so enraged, and he was yelling out your name," she replied. At that statement, Klaus quirked an eyebrow at his sister. _

"_And you're not used to him yelling out my name? He's always mad at me for some reason. Probably telling mother how much of a disappointment I am to him. Not like I care," he muttered as he went to take another sip of his drink, but was stopped as Rebekah snatched the glass away from him and set it down on the bar. _

"_No Nik, I think this is something more than that. Please, just go check," she said firmly, but he could hear the pleading in her voice. He knew that Rebekah was truly bothered over what she had witnessed between her mother and father, so to please her and calm her nerves, he agreed. He headed up the spiral staircases and turned into the hallway where the guest bedrooms were placed. He heard his father's muffled yelling, and his mother's sobs. As he inched closer to where their voices were coming from, he could make out what they were saying. _

"_YOU'RE TELLING ME ALL ALONG I'VE HARBORED A BASTARD IN MY HOUSE?!" Mikael roared. _

"_M-Mikael, Please! It was a mistake and I'm sorry! But Niklaus, he's our son. He's our family; don't act any differently because of this, please!" Esther pleaded._

_Klaus furrowed his eyebrows at his parent's words. Bastard? It's not like he wasn't used to Mikael using that word when it came to him. He'd usually call him that during his drunken ramblings. But this argument seemed different. Klaus knocked softly on the door, ending his parent's yelling, as he opened it and stepped inside the room._

"_Mother, father? What seems to be the problem? Rebekah saw mother crying and-"but Klaus never got to finish his sentence as Mikael's fist connected with his face, sending him to the floor. _

"_Mikael!" Esther yelled. Klaus groaned, holding his hand up to his face as he looked up and saw Mikael hovering over him. _

"_It's no wonder I never liked you, even when I thought you were my son. There was always something about you I've hated…and now I know why," Mikael spat, his eyes enraged. _

"_What is he talking about?" Klaus groaned, the question directed at his mother. Esther only shook her head, cupping her hands over her mouth as a sob wracked her body. Mikael looked at her in disgust before turning to Klaus again. _

"_You're a bastard, boy. You're not my son. You're just the product of your mother's sordid affair with one of my old business partners," Mikael all but roared. Klaus stood up, angered, and inched closer to his father. _

"_Doesn't give you the right to treat me like a sack of shit, now does it father? But then again, you've always treated me like I was nothing."_

_Mikael clenched his jaw as he set his cold gaze on Klaus. "That's just it, Niklaus. You're nothing. Just another disappointment in this life. I'm glad I no longer have to treat you like you're my blood. Consider yourself removed from the Robinson case and unemployed. If I see your face in Mikaelson and Sons on-" but he was cut off as soon as Klaus growled, grabbing Mikael by his shirt and pushing up against the wall. Mikael let out a laugh, "What are you going to do to me now, boy? Huh? Are you going to punch me? Oh please do." Klaus's jaw was clenched, his fists wrapped around Mikael's shirt as he stared at the man he had called his father for the past 27 years. There had always been a dislike between them. Mikael had always been cold with Klaus, and Klaus always wanted to spite him. He heard him let out another laugh._

"_You're not going to do anything to me. You're a coward boy," the older man seethed, as he looked down at Klaus. Klaus blinked back the unwanted tears that formed in his eyes. Despite the dislike he harbored for Mikael, he had always strived to earn his acceptance but he had never been good enough. And finding this out was just the icing on the cake. As Mikael took notice of his eyes, he scoffed and shook his head._

"_Pathetic," he muttered. Klaus set Mikael down roughly, causing the older Mikaelson to lose his balance and almost fall. _

_Klaus turned to his mother and she met his gaze, her eyes teary._

"_Niklaus…," she began, her voice quivering. _

"_Don't," he warned his voice thick with emotion. Esther kept opening and closing her mouth, wanting to say something, as the tears cascaded down her cheeks._

"_H-he saw me with him. With your real father..he w-was invited tonight as a guest of one of your father's newest clients. I saw him and we came upstairs to talked he wanted to know how you were and-" Esther stopped as she saw Klaus give her a deathly glare before storming out of the room and down the stairs. Many of the guests noticed him and had also heard some of the commotion upstairs, causing them to quiet down and murmur as he descended down the staircase. He quickly took notice of this and snapped._

"_WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" he exclaimed. There were exclaims of shock, but they turned to normal conversation soon after, not wanting to upset Klaus anymore. He was making his way to the front door when Elijah and Rebekah appeared in front of him._

"_Niklaus, what's wrong?"_

"_Nik are you okay?"_

"_Leave me alone," Klaus muttered, pushing past them and going outside. They followed after him, Elijah catching up to him first._

"_What's wrong brother? We heard some of what was going on upstairs…," Elijah trailed off, earning a scoff from Klaus._

"_Then you have no need to ask what's bothering me." He pushed past Elijah as he motioned for the valet boy to send him his town car. He felt Rebekah's small hand wrap around his arm once more._

"_Nik, whatever father said he-"_

"_Don't try and make up excuses for that old bastard now, Rebekah. Besides, what he said was the truth. I'm not his son. I'm a bastard, in the most literal sense of the word." Rebekah let out a soft gasp at her brother's confession and moved forward to pull him into an embrace but he recoiled. _

"_I don't need your pity," he muttered._

"_We don't pity you, Niklaus. You're our brother even if we may not be of the same blood. You are a part of this family and we stick together, always and forever," Elijah answered, alluding to the motto they'd come up with when they were younger. The three of them had gone camping with their family as children and wandered off into the woods, eventually getting lost. They'd been frantic at first but decided to form a plan and find the camping ground again. "We stick together," a young Klaus and Elijah had stated, as they took their little sister's hand. "Always and forever," a young Rebekah had added, giving them a toothy smile. _

"_Ever the sentimentalist, Elijah," Klaus bit back. _

"_No, Nik it's true. We are a family and we're always here for you, whenever you need us." Rebekah stated. Klaus rolled his eyes at his sibling's words as the town car pulled up. _

"_Niklaus…," Elijah said, as he reached for his brother, knowing he wasn't in the best place at the moment. Klaus moved back, opening the door of the town car and giving his siblings a small wave before sliding inside; shutting the door. _

"_To my place, Dean," he muttered to the driver, who nodded in response. Klaus rested his head against the leather seat and closed his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat. He was happy he'd recently restocked the alcohol in his penthouse, because he was going to need a drink once he got home…or lots of them._

**~O~**

Caroline drummed her fingers on the kitchen counter, biting her lower lip as she looked at the clock: 12:30. She'd received a text from Klaus the night before, which she still didn't know how he'd gotten her number, saying that he'd pass by to pick her up at 12. She had also tried to call him but he didn't answer. There was only one thing left to do: head to Mikaelson and Sons and hope to find out where he was. She grabbed her jacket and purse and headed out the door. As soon as she reached the sidewalk she hailed a cab.

Inside the cab, she took out her phone, her finger hovering over the "send new message" box. She didn't want to seem too needy and desperate. She'd already tried to call him and sending a text wouldn't look too good, would it? Several minutes later, she arrived at her desired destination. She handed the cab driver the money for the fare and stepped out of the cab and marched inside the lobby of Mikaelson and Sons. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way to the receptionist's desk, when a voice stopped her and caused her to look to turn around.

"Caroline?" Kol was walking through the glass doors an amused expression on his face.

"Kol," she nodded curtly.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" he questioned as he walked up to her.

"I-I'm…I…Um…"

"Looking for my dear brother?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Caroline nodded.

"We're kind of supposed to be going on a lunch date but I haven't heard from him and he said he'd pick me up at 12 and now I don't know if he's standing me up," Caroline rambled, running a hand through her blonde locks, which earned a chuckle from Kol.

"The lucky bastard earned a date with you? What did he have to do to get you to do it? Get you drunk or something?" he laughed.

"He was being a gentleman for once. Something you should take note of," Caroline remarked, slightly bothered by Kol's comment. He raised his eyebrows at her and placed a hand to his chest.

"Ouch. I'm hurt by your comment, Caroline. For I can be a gentleman…I just choose not to. It's so much more fun," Kol answered, earning an eye roll from the blonde in front of him.

"Can you at least just tell me where your brother lives so I can go find him and be out of here?"

"Planning on punishing him for not picking you up for your date?" Kol teased, waggling his eyebrows.

"Forget it," Caroline sighed, walking past Kol and about to head out the door when she heard him speak.

"25 East 77th Street at Madison Avenue, the Mark." She turned around giving him a nod in thanks, which he answered by giving a nod back. She hailed another cab and quickly gave him the directions. It took her a little longer than she wished it had, but she finally reached Klaus's place. She headed out of the cab after paying the driver and walked inside the lobby. It was decorated beautifully and thought simple, it was very elegant. The woman at the front desk was busy talking on the phone, so Caroline quickly rushed over to the elevator. The doors opened and she stepped inside, pressing the PentHouse button, remembering that Stefan had mentioned that Klaus lived in a penthouse. The ride up was going at an excruciatingly slow pace, causing Caroline to pace back and forth in the elevator. Finally, the doors opened to reveal his place. She walked inside, her heels once again clicking against the floor as she looked around.

"Klaus?" she asked. No answer. She walked further inside, looking up at the glass ceiling in awe. She looked back down and saw him, resting on an armchair. He held a bottle of whiskey in his hand and his eyes were glazed over.

"Klaus," she breathed, as she took in his appereance. His hair was disheveled and he was wearing the dress shirt and pants from the night before.

"If it isn't sweet Carolineee," he drawled, taking a swig of his drink.

"Klaus…what's wrong?" she questioned.

"Nothing's wrong love," he replied, as he took in her appearance. "Going somewhere? You look very lovely."

"I-Uh, yeah. We had a lunch date, remember?" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. It dawned on him then and he raised his eyebrows.

"Ah, that's right. And you-you came all the way over here to get me?" he questioned, pointing at her. She pressed her lips together and nodded. He looked at her funny before bursting into laughter.

"Oh, that's touching. You probably thought something was wrong didn't you?" he stated, standing up from his chair and walking over to Caroline.

"Well, yeah. You didn't answer my call and you did-"

"You cared enough to come check on me. How...pathetic." Caroline was taken aback at his words and she felt her cheeks turned red.

"I-I just wanted to make sure that-

"That I was okay. Very sweet, Caroline. However, it's pitiful don't you think? You barely know me and the little you do know about me is that I'm a rich upper east side bad boy who likes to fuck anything with a skirt, is that true? Which I do, but I have a very selective taste. But that's just it, Caroline. In your eyes, I'm not good. I'm the bad guy," he replied, as he moved his hand to graze it over her arm, but she quickly took a step back.

"I never said you were the bad guy, Klaus. I was just going off based on what Stefan had told me about you. And since when is it 'pitiful' to actually care if something's wrong with someone?" she answered back.

"Because caring will lead you nowhere, Caroline. Those sorts of emotion are pathetic in a human being, it proves that you are weak. And I'm sure you thought that this date would mean so much to me too, now didn't you? And that you possibly be able to change me, is that it?" he slurred as he moved closer to her. Tears prickled her eyes at his words and she looked down at her feet.

"Ah, that was it wasn't it. Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you Caroline but you can't. I'll always be a heartless rich asshole. A disappointment," he remarked, his tone bitter.

"You're drunk," Caroline muttered.

"Drunken words are sober thoughts, sweetheart. And don't get me wrong, you are beautiful," he said, letting his eyes gaze wander down her body, "but you're nothing to me. This whole date, this whole romantic notion you had in your head, it's nothing Caroline. If anything, it's quite a pitiful sight." Her hand connected with his cheek, causing Klaus to stumble back in shock. He looked at Caroline, as a tear made its way down her cheek. She looked at him in disgust, shaking her head, before she rushed out of his penthouse.

Klaus clenched his jaw, taking a swig of his drink before looking down at the bottle. A growled emitted from his throat as he threw the bottle, letting it smash into pieces against the wall. He ran a hand through his hair, still feeling the sting of Caroline's slap. He knew that his words would hurt her but at that moment he hadn't cared. He wanted her to hurt like he had hurt yesterday…like he was still hurting. Besides, it was better to end whatever was going on between them before it begun. _You're no good for her_, his subconscious told him. It would be for the best. Caroline Forbes would be better off without him.

**~O~**

**AN: So what did you think?! I'd love feedback! Also, I'm looking for a beta and someone who would maybe be able to make a graphic for this story? I'd really appreciate it :) I've seen a lot of cool graphics for different Klaroline fanfics on Tumblr and all i can think about is how awesome and they are and how i'd love to have one for this story! So if anyone would be kind enough to do that for me, i'd love them for forever! **


	6. Chapter 5

**AN: Hi lovelies! Sorry I haven't updated! I've just been busy dealing with personal and school related issues. But no fear, everything's fine now :) I'm done with exams and I graduate in two weeks, yay! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I just want to thank you all for your reviews! You're the best! **

**~O~**

The elevator doors opened and Caroline stepped out into the lobby, her eyes brimming with tears as she rushed out of Klaus's apartment building. She couldn't believe that had just happened. She'd put herself on the line like that and Klaus had tore her apart.

_Pathetic_

_Pitiful_

She closed her eyes tightly, his words still stinging. How could she have been so stupid? Stefan had warned her about him, and she'd still chosen to not listen to him and walk into the lion's den. She wiped away the tears that threatened to fall and hailed a cab, directing it to the White Oak Bar. She took her phone out and typed in a message to Stefan.

**You were right. Sorry that I didn't listen to you. **

She placed the phone on her lap, sighing as she ran a hand through her blonde curls. She'd told herself she wouldn't get involved with him, that it would be no good for her, but the moment he showed some signs of being decent, she put her heart on her sleeve. She felt her phone vibrate on her lap and she picked it up, opening up the message Stefan sent her.

**Care…I'm sorry. What happened? I swear Klaus will get an ass whooping. **

She shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips at how protective Stefan was.

**It's fine, Stefan. It's my fault. Please, don't. I don't need you standing up for me, I'm a grown woman. Thank you though. I'm going to the bar to see if I can pick up a shift. If you're in the mood, you should pass by later. Love you! **

She set the phone back down on her lap and looked out the window, admiring the city. It was so full of life and diversity, there was always something new going on. Whenever she felt down, she just looked outside a window to remind herself of what she'd accomplished. She'd gone from a small town girl, to living in The Big Apple. And feeling like she was feeling now, reminding herself of her accomplishment made her feel better. Her phone buzzed and she looked down at Stefan's reply.

**Ok Care. Sure, I'll let you know if I will. Love you too! **

She smiled as she placed her phone in her bag, realizing that she had reached the White Oak Bar. She paid the driver and stepped out of the cab, waltzing through the wooden doors and heading straight for the bar. Rose stood by, serving the few people that were at the establishment already, when she noticed Caroline. She gave Caroline a wink and pursed her lips as she always did in jest, but was met with a sigh and roll of her eyes from her blonde friend. The redhead finished taking the customers orders, and headed over to where Caroline sat on one of the bar stools.

"All right, what happened?" Rose questioned. She gave the order to the bartender and took a seat next to Caroline.

"Being optimistic has never backfired on me as badly as it did today," Caroline sighed as she ordered a drink from the bar.

"What happened?" Rose asked again, leaning towards Caroline.

"I had a date today with one of the brothers, Klaus. I'd thought he was a jerk at first, but yesterday at the party he was actually pretty decent so I decided to give him a chance…god that was a mistake. Anyways, he was supposed to pick me up for a lunch date but didn't show up. So I ended up finding out where he lived and went to make sure that nothing was wrong. But it was. He was drunk…and he started insulting me saying that I was pitiful and pathetic for caring that something was wrong with him. I-I slapped him and rushed out. I didn't wanna stay in there another second," Caroline answered, nodding in thanks to Mike, the bartender, as he set her drink down on the bar. She took a long drink from it as Rose took in the information.

"Well he's a dick and you deserve better than that," Rose answered simply.

"I know, I just…I thought maybe he was different, you know?" Caroline stated.

"Sweetie, he's a guy. " The red-head stated knowingly, as she watched Caroline look at her drink and letting out a deep sigh. "Now you're going to finish your drink, get your ass up, and I'm taking you shopping for an outfit because you and I are going out tonight."

Caroline's eyes widened at the statement and she immediately shook her head. "No Rose I-I came to see if there was a shift available so I could work tonight." Rose gave her an exasperated look and shook her head as she pulled Caroline out of her seat.

"Caroline, you just got stood up and insulted by some multimillionaire playboy. You don't need to work, you need to party and have a good time. And besides, who knows? Maybe he'll be there and you can show him what he's missing." Rose smirked at her as she waggled her eyebrows, making the blonde laugh at her friend's antics.

"Now come on, let's get your pretty little ass out of here and to a store so you can buy an outfit for tonight." Rose set down her notepad on the bar counter and dragged Caroline over the coat rack, grabbing her brown leather jacket.

"Paul!" she called, making one of the young guys who worked there turn his head at the sound of his name. Caroline knew Rose would ask him to take her shift, and she knew the guy would do it. He was head over heels for Rose. However, the feeling wasn't reciprocated by the red-head who had a strict rule against not dating or sleeping with younger guys.

"Take my shift, would you sweetie?" Rose said sweetly, batting her eyelashes at the young guy. Paul gave her a wide smile and nodded. "Of course, Rose. Anything for you," he said charmingly, sending her a wink. Rose let out a school girl giggle and blew a kiss at him, "Thank you!" She grabbed Caroline once more and headed out of the bar.

"You know you're stringing the poor guy along, right?" Caroline laughed as they stepped out onto the sidewalk and Rose hailed a cab. The redhead zipped up her jacket and shrugged, "He's willing to be at my beck and call, might as well take advantage of it." Caroline let out a laugh and shook her head at Rose. A cab finally pulled up in front of them and the two got inside, excited for a day of shopping.

**~O~**

The trilling of a cell phone sounded in his ears, making his head pound. He rolled over on his side and reached over to grab his phone off the nightstand, letting out a loud sigh as he stared at the caller ID: Stefan. Klaus let out a deep breath, knowing that Stefan had probably already heard of what had transpired between him and Caroline. He pressed accept and put the phone up to his ear.

"Stefan," he muttered into the phone.

"What did you do to Caroline?" Stefan said angrily into his phone.

"I didn't do anything to her," Klaus answered.

"Oh come on Klaus, cut the crap. I tell you to not do anything to her and you say you have no interest in her. Yet I find out today that you have a date with her and a few hours later, I get a text from Caroline saying that I had been right when I warned her about you." Stefan was beyond pissed at Klaus. The man had become one of his closest friends over the years, but he still knew how he was. Though he had warned Caroline and she still decided to ignore his warnings, he wasn't angry at her. He knew she hadn't dated anyone since her debacle with Matt, and he understood her wanting to get to know Klaus better. But his anger flared at knowing that Klaus had done something that hurt Caroline.

"You _warned_ her about me? What am I, the Big Bad Wolf?" Klaus seethed into the phone, "I did nothing to Caroline. I may have said a few things that were out of line, but that's it."

"What did you say to her?" Stefan asked.

"I'm afraid that's none of your business, mate," Klaus stated, as he sat up on his bed. "And besides, Caroline is a big girl. You don't need to be acting like her father, Stefan."

"I'm not trying to be her father," Stefan growled into the phone. "Caroline has had her fair share of heartbreaks and I only wanted to spare her from what I knew would be another one."

"Your opinion of me is overwhelming, mate. Please, go on," Klaus said sarcastically. He heard Stefan let out a sigh on the other end of the phone.

"Look, you're my best friend Klaus, and you know that. You're like a brother to me. But Caroline is like the sister I never had, and she's also one of my oldest best friends. I want what's best for her," Stefan explained.

"And you're saying that I'm not?" Klaus asked.

"Are you saying you want her to be something other than a meaningless one night stand?" Klaus immediately realized what he had said. His words implied that he felt something other than lust for Caroline. Which he didn't, he didn't care for anything or anyone….fuck, who was he kidding? He would be lying if he said that he didn't find Caroline interesting. With her sharp tongue and witty remarks, the perky blonde had gotten under his skin.

"You still there Mikaelson?" he heard Stefan say.

"She's interesting, that's all. She's one of the first girls to not fall for the famous Mikaelson charm," Klaus chuckled into the phone.

"Ah, so it's the thrill of the challenge," Stefan remarked.

"No, mate. It's more than that. She's just…she—"

"She's gotten under your skin," Stefan said.

Klaus nodded and sighed. "I'm afraid she has."

"Well, let me tell you something Mikaelson. If you do plan on getting to know Caroline better then you're gonna need to have a hell of an apology so she can start talking to you again," Stefan replied.

"What do you suggest I do?" Klaus asked.

"Beats me. But you're a smart boy, you'll figure it out," Stefan chuckled. Klaus rolled his eyes at his friend's answer. "Very helpful, Stefan."

"That's what I'm here for bud. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go back to relaxing on my couch with the pizza I ordered and some Law and Order."

"You have fun with that, mate." Klaus chuckled. Both men hung up, and Klaus placed his phone on his nightstand. He ran a hand through his short blonde curls and sighed. He got up and stretched his arms, looking at the clock on his nightstand to check the time; it was 6 pm. He wasn't sure of what he was going to tell Caroline, but like Stefan said, it would take a hell of an apology for her to forgive him. He had said some mean things and he had seen the hurt on her face, the image imprinted in his brain. He had to think of something good, and he had to do it now. But first, he really needed to do something about the smell of whiskey that emitted from his clothes and the pounding in his head. A shower and some Advil would hopefully help.

**~O~**

"So how do I look?" Caroline asked, as she stepped out of Rose's bathroom. The redhead, who had been applying some lipgloss, turned to her blonde friend and her eyes widened.

"Like sex on legs!" Rose exclaimed. She let out a wolf whistle as Caroline gave her a seductive pose and winked at her. The blonde let out a laugh as she walked over to her friend's Vanity mirror and looked at herself once more. She wore a simple strapless black dress that hugged her body in all the right places, showing just the right amount of cleavage while leaving some to the imagination. The dress reached mid thigh, making it sexy while not making her look like street walker. She had paired it with a pair of black pumps that she had bought while shopping with Rose; and her hair was down and curled. She had applied some eye shadow, giving her eyes a smoky, sexy look and applied some blush. The finishing touch was the lip-gloss she had just finished applying.

"Now how do _I_ look?" Rose asked, as she posed for Caroline. She wore a dress similar to Caroline's. It was made out of black lace, and had straps that crossed at the back. The front dipped a little lower than Caroline's, showing off Rose's breasts more.

"Like sex on legs!" Caroline squealed, repeating her friend's words.

"Perfect," Rose smirked, as she put on her heels. The girls looked at their reflections one last time in the mirror before turning off the light and heading to the door.

"Ready to forget all about that asshole Klaus?" Rose asked, as she and Caroline headed out the door.

"Klaus who?" Caroline responded, as a smirk formed on her lips.

"Now that's more like it!" Rose said happily, as she intertwined her arm with Caroline's and they made their way downstairs and hailed a cab.

20 minutes later, they were inside the club that everyone had been raving about lately, The Cove. Multi colored lights shone all around the dance floor while music blasted from the speakers. The club was packed, with people dancing and drinking the night away. The girls made their way to the bar and ordered a drink.

"So, what do you think?" Rose asked as the girls waited for their drinks.

"I like it!" Caroline exclaimed over the loud music, as her body moved to the rhythm slightly. "I cant even remember the last time I went to a club! Or danced!"

"Well, that's a pity." They heard a voice say, and Caroline turned her head to the left to see a man resting his arms on the bar as he watched the two girls interact. He was attractive, with dark brown hair and warm, chocolate colored eyes. He wore a long sleeved light blue shirt and dark wash jeans.

"I'm Tyler," the man smiled, as he extended his hand out to Caroline. Caroline looked down at it, hesitant, before placing her small hand in his.

"Caroline," she answered back. "And this is my friend Rose," she stated, as she pointed at the redhead who was taking a sip of her drink.

"Nice to meet you, ladies. Now, as I was saying, it's a pity that you can't remember the last time you danced," Tyler said.

Caroline raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh and why is that?" she asked.

"Because you look like a terrific dancer," he smiled back. Caroline narrowed her eyebrows at him and pursed her lips.

"Is this the part where I'm supposed to say that I'm not and then you say something along the lines of 'prove it', and then I end up dancing with you?" Caroline asked. Tyler let out a chuckle and shrugged, "Am I that obvious?"

"You're kidding right?" Rose deadpanned, making Caroline and Tyler laugh in response.

"I guess I should work on that then. But, even if you figured out my plan, would you do me the honor of joining me for a dance?" Tyler questioned, his brown eyes hopeful.

"The thing is I came here with Rose and this is supposed to be a girl's night and-"

"She'd love to," Rose cut in. Caroline turned to her, about to argue when Rose gave her a pointed look. The blonde sighed, turning back to Tyler as a smile formed on her lips.

"Lead the way," she smiled. A large grin formed on Tyler's face at her response, earning a giggle from Caroline at how cute and boyish he looked. He placed his hand out for her, and she placed her hand in his as he began leading them to the dance floor. She turned back to look at Rose and mouthed "Oh my god!" Rose laughed, but not before putting her hands in fists at her sides and thrusting her hips back and forth, waggling her eyebrows at Caroline. The blonde's eyes widened and she suppressed a laugh, not wanting Tyler to see her friend's obscene gestures. Once they reached the dance floor, Tyler placed his hands on Caroline's hips as Caroline wrapped her arms around his neck. They began moving to the rhythm and enjoying themselves.

Caroline looked up at Tyler and smiled. So maybe her day had started out bad, but the night was looking so much better. Tyler seemed like a decent guy and he was charming, not to mention really cute. She closed her eyes and moved her head to side to side as the music filled the room. She hadn't had a night out like this in a long time and so far she was enjoying it; nothing could ruin her mood.

However, if only she'd looked up a little bit higher at the VIP lounge she would've noticed something that was sure to put a damper on her mood. A certain handsome, blue-eyed devil stood at the balcony of the VIP lounge, looking down at the dance floor with a heated gaze. Anger boiled inside him as he saw the scene in front of him. Caroline, who was looking breathtakingly sexy in that tiny black dress, was in the hands of some tall, football player looking guy. His hands were on her waist and she had her arms around his neck; she was enjoying herself, he could see it on her face. He didn't know why, but he felt like walking downstairs and beating the crap out of the guy for having his hands on Caroline.

The blonde had really gotten under his skin, making him feel things that he shouldn't. He was jealous, and he hated it. Why should he be jealous? It's not like Caroline was his to begin with, and with the argument they'd had, he had a very minimal chance at making that happen. But he was jealous, and the longer he watched Caroline and the guy dancing, the more jealous he got. He didn't like this. He didn't like it all.

**~O~**

**AN: What did you think? Like it, love it, hate it? Let me know! Next chapter will continue with them being in the club and there may be a Klaroline confrontation and maybe an apology? Who knows ;)**

**Also, as I stated in my Author's Note last chapter, I'm still looking for a beta and someone who would be kind and lovely enough to make a graphic for this fic! I'd be forever grateful! OH and HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to whoever may be a mother already, and to your lovely mothers! **


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: Seeing as how school is coming to an end, I had some free time and wanted to update the story :) Some of you have asked why Tyler is being brought into the story, and you don't really like that he's there. Remember, in the prologue Klaus says: "It was of some other man a tan, tall brown-haired hazel eyed man. A man he had threatened to stay away from her for as long as they both lived. Tyler Lockwood." So Tyler has to be brought into the story because he's going to be a pretty important part of it both now and in the future (at the time of the prologue). I hope you all enjoy!**

**~O~**

"I'm gonna go get a drink," Caroline smiled at Tyler as the song ended. They'd been dancing for a while now and Caroline was sure she hadn't had that much fun in a while. She'd let loose and was having a good time, but right now she needed a drink.

"Okay. I'm gonna go look for my friend, I'll meet you at the bar," Tyler smiled back as he winked at Caroline and went on to look for his friend. The blonde walked over to the bar to find that Rose was no where to be found. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as her eyes scanned the bar. Where could she be?

"Looking for someone, love?"

Caroline's breath hitched in her throat as she heard his voice. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that she was imagining this. He couldn't be there, she was enjoying herself and she didn't need him ruining her night out.

"Cat got your tongue?" he teased. He saw the way Caroline's body tensed up when he had spoken to her, obviously bothered by his presence. But once he'd seen that the vermin had released his hold on her he took the chance to go and speak to her. She turned around to face him, her mouth forming a forced smile.

"Aren't I bit pathetic for you to be hanging out with?" she stated sarcastically, raising an eyebrow at Klaus. Fine, so he was there. But she wasn't going to let him see how much it bothered her.

"Oh, sweetheart I was drunk. I didn't mean what I said," Klaus said as he walked closer to Caroline. She placed a hand in front of him, motioning for him to stop.

"I'm pretty sure you did. And since I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation for being seen with someone so _pathetic_ or _pitiful_, I'll be leaving now." She began walking away from him until she felt his hand wrap around her arm. She sighed and turned her head to face him.

"Let me go," she said firmly, looking up to meet his gaze.

"No." His grip on her tightened slightly as he pulled her to him until their chests were almost pressed against each other.

"Seriously?" she scoffed, "what kind of game are you playing at Klaus?" She took a step back from him, as she set her glare on him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about,"he stated.

"Oh, I'm sure you have perfect idea of what I'm talking about. And I'm not going to fall for your little game because you're not worth my time," she said as she started to walk away from him. He sighed as he looked up at her.

"Caroline I-,

"I'm back," he heard a familiar voice say. He looked up to see the brute he'd seen Caroline dance with, standing in front of her with a smile plastered on his face. As it turned out it was a familiar face.

"Well I'll be damned," he stated, which caught Tyler's attention. His gaze shifted from Caroline to Klaus, a grin forming on his face.

"Klaus? Man what are you doing here?" Tyler said as he walked over to Klaus and gave him the typical man hug.

"Kol dragged me here. But I must say I'm quite enjoying the scene," he replied as his gaze diverted to Caroline, who had a horrified expression on her face.

"Yeah, it's a nice place. It's been a long time man! Like 5 years?" Tyler questioned.

"Well the last memory I have of us together was that party the summer after graduation?" Klaus stated, earning a nod from Tyler. "That was a crazy summer." Klaus nodded in response.

"W-What? How do you two know each other?" Caroline's voice interrupted them, reminding them of her presence. Both men turned to look at her, Tyler being the first to speak. He reached out and grabbed Caroline's hand softly, pulling her closer to them.

"Klaus, this is Caro-

"We already know each other," both blondes said at the same time. Tyler's mouthed an 'o' in response as Caroline turned to him once again.

"So how do you two know each other?" she asked again.

"We went to college together, sweetheart. Tyler and I were roommates," Klaus smirked. He was aware of the fact that Caroline was bothered that both men knew each other, it was shown on her face, despite her trying to not let it show.

"How about you, how do you guys know each other?" Tyler questioned.

"Through a friend of mine, Stefan Salvatore," Klaus answered. Tyler's eyes grew wide at his answer.

"Did you say Salvatore? That's crazy, I'm here with his brother Damon," Tyler answered, as he turned to Caroline, "that's the friend I was looking for."

"Did I hear someone say my name?" A familiar voice said. All three turned their heads to see a handsome, blue-eyed dark haired man walking towards them, his arm wrapped around Rose's waist.

"Rose! I've been looking for you!" Caroline said, as she walked over to her friend, who brushed her off.

"I wasn't going to let you have all the fun," she said pointing at the blonde, then pointing at Damon, "he's quite the dancer." Damon turned to look at Caroline, a smirk forming on his face.

"What? No "Hey Damon!"? I thought you had better manners than that Blondie," he said.

"I didn't think you'd know what manners were, Damon," Caroline bit back. She didn't really like Damon Salvatore very much, only dealing with him at times because of Stefan. Despite their rocky relationship and messy break up, it wasn't that that bothered Caroline; she'd gotten over the breakup years ago. Damon was just….Damon: selfish, arrogant, and a total womanizer.

"Ouch, someone's got their panties in a twist. What's wrong, blondie? A little sexually frustrated?" Damon started before pointing at Tyler, "I see you've found someone though. You're in good hands, I've heard Tyler is quite the ladies man." He waggled his eyebrows at Caroline, who was blushing furiously at Damon's comment.

"Come on, man leave the girl alone," Tyler stepped up as he walked over to Caroline. Damon let out a chuckle in response. "It's just friendly banter between old friends, Lockwood. Isnt that right Caroline?" He raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

"We were never friends," she answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Damon only looked at her and shrugged, "Whatever. I'm gonna take this little lady out to the dance floor again. Enjoy yourselves kids." And with that, he walked back over to the dance floor with Rose attached to him.

Caroline let out a loud sigh and sat down on one of the barstools, quickly ordering a drink. Tyler followed her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry if Damon was a pain, I know he isn't the easiest person to deal with," he apologized. Caroline looked up at him and scoffed.

"You don't have to apologize, it's fine," she muttered, nodding in thanks to the bartender once he set her drink down in front of her, and taking it in one shot.

"Wanna go back and dance?" he offered, as he nestled his hands in his pockets. Caroline looked at him once more, parting her lips to answer, when she was interrupted by a familiar accented voice.

"Actually, mate I was wondering if I could dance with her. If you don't mind," Klaus said. He was two barstool's down from Caroline, where he had been watching the interaction between Stefan's older brother and the blonde. From what he remembered from the night before, they'd dated back when Caroline was still in high school and things hadn't ended well between them, which explained the hostility Caroline held towards him. Right now what he wanted was to get Caroline to himself, especially since Tyler had interrupted their conversation when he'd shown up.

"I don't have a problem, but it depends on Caroline," Tyler answered, turning to the blonde in question. Caroline raised her eyebrows at both men. Despite what had transpired between her and Klaus, there was a part of her that wanted to dance with him. Then, there was that other half that didn't even want to go near him. But refusing to dance with him would probably cause Tyler to ask why, and she'd rather not explain what happened.

"Sure," she muttered, standing up from the barstool. Klaus held his hand out for her to take, a smile forming on his lips. Smug bastard, Caroline thought, as she placed her hand in his. She tried to keep a straight face as she felt the surge of electricity pass between them when their hands touched, subtly looking up at Klaus to see if he'd been fazed by it. He hadn't.

He led her out to the dance floor, quickly spinning her around so that her back was pressed to his front.

"What are you doing?" Caroline questioned, as she felt his hands grasp her hips.

"Dancing, sweetheart." He responded as the song began playing. He began moving to the rhythm, his hold on Caroline tightening. Reluctantly, she placed her hands where his lay and began swaying her hips from side to side, matching the rhythm of the song.

**I dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life  
Fight fear for the selfish pain; it was worth it every time**

She closed her eyes, slowly loosening up and moving her hips more freely. She moved one hand up, swiping her hair to one side as she kept dancing. Klaus leaned his face down to the other side as he pressed her closer to him.

**Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends  
A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again**

The beat picked up, and Caroline swayed her head from side to side as she grasped Klaus's hands. Klaus smirked before spinning her around so she could face him, his hands still on her waist. She moved her hands up and wrapped her arms around his neck as he pulled her closer, their chests pressed against each other.

**Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need  
Chasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why  
If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?**

Caroline, who had now opened her eyes, looked up to meet Klaus's stormy blue ones. She knew she had been mad at him because of something…but what was it? The moment she'd felt his touch on her skin, she'd forgotten everything else, savoring how he made her feel. His touch had sent shivers down her spine, along with a little spark throughout her whole body. His gaze intensified as they continued dancing, making Caroline blush and bite down on her bottom lip. He bent his head lower, so that he was right next to her ear, his breath hot as he spoke.

"Don't be shy, Caroline. You're beautiful, and even more when you're dancing like this," he whispered. Caroline felt herself blush more at his words

**If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?**

He chuckled as he saw her reaction and he whispered in her ear once more. "So, do you forgive me now?" he questioned. With those words, the spell was broken. Caroline remembered where she was, who she was with, and what she was doing. She blushed, but this time embarrassed with herself. She looked at him and scoffed in disgust, pushing herself away from him.

**Walk on through a red parade and refuse to make amends  
It cuts deep through our ground and makes us forget all common sense**

"Guess not," he muttered. Caroline shook her head in disgust, before pushing him on his chest.

"You seriously thought dancing would make me forget everything you'd said?" she said.

"It obviously worked for a while, did it not? The way you moved your hips against mine was certainly indicative that you weren't angry with me. Or am I wrong?" he questioned as he grabbed her hands, preventing another push, and holding them down.

"It did, but now everything's clear again. And now I remember how much of an asshole you are," she said angrily as she escaped his grasp and started walking away from him. He sighed as he watched the blonde walk away from him. He should just let her go, and he knew it. But no matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't. He followed her path to the bar.

**Don't speak as I try to leave 'cause we both know what we'll choose  
If you pull then I'll push too deep and I'll fall right back to you**

Caroline walked back up to the bar, where Tyler was sipping his drink as he chatted with the bartender. She grabbed her clutch, catching Tyler's attention.

"Leaving already? What about your friend?" Tyler asked, as he stood up.

"Yeah, I guess I'm not as much into the partying mood as I thought. And knowing Rose, she won't be going home tonight anyway," she stated.

"Well, do you want me to get you a cab?" Tyler asked. Caroline smiled at him, but shook her head.

"That's really thoughtful, but I'll be okay," she answered.

"Can I at least have your number?" he asked, as a boyish grin appeared on his face. Caroline pursed her lips together and raised an eyebrow.

"Promise you're not some creepy serial killer?" she questioned, earning a laugh from Tyler.

"Not that I'm aware of," he chuckled. Caroline let out a small laugh in response and nodded. "Fair enough." Tyler dug his hand in his pocket, grabbing his cell phone and handing it to Caroline, who quickly dialed her number. She handed him back his phone and smiled.

"It was nice meeting you Tyler," she said. Tyler nodded. "Same here, Caroline. Can I see you soon? I'm in town for a few more days and I'd love to see you again before I leave."

A smile formed on Caroline's lips and she bit her bottom lip. "I'll see," she answered. Tyler chuckled and nodded, "Fair enough." Caroline gave him a small wave before making her way out of the establishment. She was making her way out of the club, when she heard someone next to her.

"Please tell me you're not seriously considering calling him." She scoffed and rolled her eyes at his words.

"And why shouldn't I? Actually you know what? I don't care what you have to say, I don't want to speak to you," Caroline answered, as she walked out of the club. She turned and continued walking down the sidewalk, hoping to lose him at some point. She stood at the edge of the sidewalk, hailing a cab, when she heard his voice.

"Caroline!" he yelled. She turned to see him walking up to her.

"Are you serious?" she scoffed, "take a hint." He reached her and let out a sigh, along with a small chuckle.

"Don't be angry, love," he started, "we had a little spat. I'm over it already." She turned to face him and crossed her arms over her chest, a fake smile on her lips.

"Aw, well I'm not," she answered. He looked down and sighed, "How can I acquit myself?"

"You and your expensive jewelry can leave me alone," she answered.

"Aw come on. Take chance, Caroline," he smiled. She scoffed and shook her head.

"Talk to me," he continued, "Come on get to know me!"

"I have no interest in getting to know somebody who thinks so lowly of me," she answered bitterly. Klaus lowered his gaze and sighed.

"Caroline…," he began, but her voice stopped him.

"Just leave me alone," she said quietly.

"Please I- I'm-," he started. He knew what he had to say, even if it wouldn't exactly cause her to forgive him. But he struggled with the words.

"You're what?" she snapped, as she looked at him. He clenched his jaw, his lips twitching, looking as if he close to saying something. He parted his lips, "I-I"

"You can't even say it, can you?" she scoffed, shaking her head, "I don't know why I wasted my time with you." The cab reached them and as Caroline reached to grab the door handle, his voice stopped her.

"I'm sorry, Caroline." She looked up at him, meeting his blue eyes. She expected to see some hint of being dishonest about his apology in his face, but all she was met with was his solemn expression. He was being honest. He was apologizing to her. This is what she had wanted all along. She wanted to accept it, to say that it was okay, and that they could continue where they'd left off the night before…but she couldn't. His words had been harsh and they were still fresh in her mind. Who was to say he wouldn't take back his apology and say something worse to her? Tears brimmed in her eyes and she blinked them away as she opened the door to the cab, and slid inside, slamming the door. She forced herself to keep looking forward, not wanting to see Klaus. Yet she found her gaze slowly wandering to the window, where Klaus stood, staring at her with the same solemn expression on his face. He swallowed and nodded as if in response to her action and walked back to the entrance of the club, as Caroline's cab took off. She slid down in her seat and rested her head against the back of it. She gave the driver her address and looked out the window, pressing her lips together. Today had been way too overwhelming for her and all she wanted was to get home, take a shower and go to sleep. This was exactly the kind of guy drama she'd wanted to avoid.

But there was something about Klaus that drew her to him. It wasn't physical, but sort of like a magnetic pull towards him, and she hated it. Because despite everything he'd said, she _still_ felt that attraction towards him.

**If our love is tragedy why are you my remedy?  
If our love's insanity why are you my clarity?**

**~O~**

**AN: What did you guys think? Please review and let me know! **

**Song: Clarity by Zedd**


	8. Chapter 7

**AN: Hey everyone, I'm back! School's finally over, I finally graduated high school, and summer is here! Which means more time to write! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! **

**~O~**

A month had now passed since the club incident and everyone seemed to be moving on with their lives. Caroline and Rose worked almost every day at the bar, with Rose taking the occasional days off to hang out with Damon, who had extended his stay for the red-head much to Caroline's displeasure. Whenever they had time, Caroline would make plans with Stefan and they would spend time watching movies at each other's houses or going out for dinner, the topics of Klaus and Elena being avoided by both. Caroline awoke to the sound of her phone ringing on her nightstand. She groaned, rolling over and grabbing it to see Rose calling. She accepted the call and put the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

"Do you hate me?" the redhead said into the phone. Caroline sighed and sat up on her bed.

"No, Rose. I don't. Despite the fact that you ditched our lunch plans yesterday to go hang out with that narcissistic asshole," she muttered into the phone. Her and Rose had plans the day before to go out to eat lunch and then do some shopping, but Rose had called Caroline when she was already on her way to the restaurant to tell her she had to reschedule because Damon had invited her somewhere last minute. Caroline had been pissed off to say the least, but she couldn't be too angry at her friend. She too had fallen prey to Damon Salvatore's pretty words and good looks.

"He's really not that bad! He was a total gentleman and he's also great in bed, I mean don't even get me started on-," Rose began to ramble on the phone but Caroline was quick to put a stop to it.

"Do NOT start talking about having sex with Damon. Please, for my sake," the blonde pleaded. She heard Rose let out an embarrassed laugh on the other end and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. Wanna do lunch today?" Rose asked.

"Can't. I made plans with the other Salvatore," Caroline answered, as got out of bed. Rose huffed on the other line, "Fine. But tomorrow, we're hanging out! Yes?" Rose said.

"Sure. I'll see you tomorrow Rose. Remember safe sex is great sex!" Caroline laughed. Rose let out a laugh in return before saying goodbye as well. The girls hung up, and Caroline put her phone down before heading into the bathroom to get ready.

**~O~**

Klaus walked into Mikaelson & Sons, not bothering to spare anyone a second glance. Mikael had left on a business trip the day before, so he took his chance to get his things out of his office. He saw the receptionist nod at him shyly before turning back to the computer. He pressed the button for the elevator, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for it to reach the lobby. As his patience started wearing thin, the elevator reached his floor with a ding and the steel doors parted to reveal a familiar face.

"Niklaus," Elijah stated, his eyes widening at the sight of his brother who he hadn't seen or heard from since the incident with their father.

"Hello Elijah," Klaus murmured as he moved to enter the elevator, but was stopped as his brother extended his arm out to the side, preventing him from entering.

"Where have you been? Rebekah and I have been worried about you," Elijah answered. Klaus scoffed, raising his eyebrows at his brother.

"I'm hardly a child, Elijah. You and Rebekah don't have to worry about checking up on me. And besides, I was with Kol two nights ago; I assumed he would've mentioned that to you." It was the elder Mikaelson brother's turn to raise his eyebrows at Klaus, an "this-is-kol-we're-talking-about" look on his face, which caused Klaus to let out a small chuckle. Elijah chuckled as well, before silencing and placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.

"Niklaus, what are you going to do?" He questioned.

"Fath-Mikael has fired me, so I'm here to collect my belongings," Klaus muttered as he answered his brother.

"What are you going to do after? You know he won't give you a cent of your inheritance..maybe mother-"

"Don't mention her," Klaus seethed, "and besides she'll be too scared of Mikael to try and help me. I'll figure something out." With that, he gave his brother a curt nod and pushed past him to head inside the elevator. Elijah gave him a curt nod in response and a small wave before leaving. Klaus pressed the elevator key to his floor, sighing as the elevator doors closed.

**~O~**

"Yes, Mrs. Robinson. Of course, yes. I'll be sure to let Klaus know. Thank you so much. Have a good day," Stefan responded, ending the call with their client and placing his phone in his pocket. He stood up quickly, opening the door to his office and making his way to Klaus's office. He knew that the call he'd just gotten from Mrs. Robinson would make Klaus extremely happy, not to mention give him something to gloat about. As Stefan continued replaying the conversation he'd just had with their client, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar accented, female voice.

"Kol, you're insufferable!" came Rebekah's muffled yell from Kol's office. The door flew open, with Rebekah walking out, her face furious. But even with her angry demeanor, she still managed to look like the epitome of elegance. Her blonde hair was up in a perfect bun, and she was dressed in a pastel pink blouse, accompanied with a cream colored blazer and black jeans, along with cream colored heels.

"Oh come on Bekah! I was joking!" Kol exclaimed, as he popped his head out of the office.

"Piss off!" She yelled back, turning to look at her brother and giving him and angry stare, before turning to face forward once more and coming face to face with Stefan.

"We meet again," Stefan smiled at the blonde, who look embarrassed at the fact that he had just witnessed her in such a state.

"So we do, Salvatore," she answered, giving him a smirk.

"So, what did Kol do this time?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and looking over at Kol, who had rolled his eyes at his sister and was closing the door to his office.

"Just being an annoying little brother," Rebekah sighed with a roll of her eyes.

"I don't know how you all put up with him for so long," Stefan replied. Rebekah let out a small laugh and shook her head, pressing a hand to her chest.

"You know, neither do I! I know I don't have much patience for him, so it really is mostly Nik and Elijah's doing," she answered. They both shared a laugh before turning serious once more.

"So, I saw what happened the day of the ball," Rebekah stated softly, as she followed Stefan, who had motioned for her to follow him as he made his way to Klaus's office.

"Yeah, wasn't exactly my best moment…," Stefan sighed, as he looked down at the floor.

"No, I actually think it was. You stood up for yourself and told her off. I think you did great," Rebekah answered. Stefan looked up at her and was met with a warm smile.

"Thanks," he smiled back at her. She nodded.

"I mean you could've done it without the alcohol but…," she began, and Stefan let out a hearty chuckle.

"Yeah, 4 glasses of whiskey…never again!" he answered as Rebekah laughed. In the few minutes they'd spent together, Stefan came to realize how much he enjoyed her company. He felt so at ease with her, it was comfortable. Not to mention he liked hearing her laugh; it was cute.

"I was thinking do you-"

"Am I interrupting something?" came a familiar voice.

They both turned to see Klaus standing next to them, his eyebrows raised at them.

"Klaus!"

"Nik!"

"What are you doing here?" both Stefan and Rebekah asked.

"What are you two, Siamese twins or something? Last time I checked this was my office so…," Klaus answered. Rebekah looked at both of them before turning to Stefan.

"Don't be a stranger, Salvatore," she said, as she began to walk away.

"Rebekah, wait I-," but Rebekah was already engaged in conversation with one of the women that worked at the firm and Klaus was pulling him into his office.

"Trying to ask my little sister out on a date, mate?" Klaus smirked, as he bent down in front of his bookshelf, and opened the small doors it had at the bottom, retrieving a small cardboard box.

"No I was just asking her if she wanted to get some coffee sometime," Stefan answered embarrassed, as he sat down on the chair in front of Klaus's desk.

"That's a date, Stefan," Klaus chuckled as he began putting some of his belongings inside the box. Stefan looked up and noticed this, which quickly reminded him of why he'd come to Klaus's office in the first place.

"Guess who I got a call from?" Stefan asked as he leaned forward.

"I'm not one for games, just tell me who it was," Klaus answered, as she continued retrieving his belongings.

"Mrs. Robinson," Stefan answered.

"And what did she want? Did she call and say she wanted another lawyer and that she'd send me a thank you gift or something?" Klaus muttered.

"Nope, she says she doesn't want any other lawyer than Klaus Mikaelson. Of course, she wants me on the case too. But she specifically said she wants you as her head lawyer," Stefan replied, a smile growing on his lips as he saw Klaus's surprised expression.

"She does know I'm no longer working for the firm right?" he questioned, and Stefan nodded.

"I explained that to her, but she says she doesn't care. She said she'd even donate some money so that you would be able to build your own firm and I told her we'd think about it," Stefan answered. Klaus quickly sat down on his leather chair and moved closer to the desk.

"No, the idea of her donating money is pathetic," Klaus shook his head, "but having my own firm…that's a brilliant idea."

"I agree. You are one of the best lawyers in New York, of course I come in close second," Stefan joked, which earned an eye roll from his friend.

"We could look for a space nearby, I'll get my assistant on it," Klaus answered, taking mental notes of what he had to do in order for this to happen.

"Then I'll go make a call to Mrs. Robinson and tell her the good news," Stefan stated, as he got up from the chair and headed out of Klaus's office. As soon as he stepped outside, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out to read a text message from Caroline.

_I'm waiting downstairs, Stefan! DON'T MAKE ME WAIT!  
_

He chuckled at Caroline's bossy attitude and wrote a reply.

_Making an important call, but I'll be down in a few. Will that be alright for her Highness?_

A few seconds later, he got a reply.

_It does please the Queen. But hurry, good sir or you'll be beheaded! _

Stefan chuckled and put the phone back in his pocket as he headed off to his office. Once he reached the door, he heard Rebekah's voice call him.

"Stefan!"

He turned to see the blonde making his way to him, and he greeted her with a smile.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I've been gone from New York for a while…so I don't really know what the hot spots are anymore. Would you mind taking me out on the town and showing me?" She asked, smiling up at him. Stefan parted his lips to speak but he stayed quiet. After meeting Rebekah at the ball, she'd intrigued him, and here she was giving him a chance to get to know her better...but he had already made plans with Caroline. Then again, Caroline was his best friend and she would be happy that he was getting to know a girl wouldn't she?

"You-You don't have to, I was just wondering," Rebekah began, giving a shy smile and shaking her head, feeling silly for bringing up the offer.

"No, I'd love to. Just give me a few minutes to make a call and we'll go," Stefan answered. Immediately, Rebekah looked up, a grin on her rosy lips.

"Okay," she smiled. Stefan smiled back before heading into his office. He sat down at his chair and dialed Mrs. Robinson's number. After a good 15 minute call with her, he hung up, right in time to see his phone buzzing. He looked at it and saw a text from Caroline.

_Stefan so help me god, if you are not ready I will go Henry VIII on your ass! We have reservations in like 20 minutes! _

Stefan pressed his lips together as his fingers hovered over the text.

_About today…_

**~O~**

Caroline huffed in her seat, repeatedly looking over at the clock to see what time it was. She'd been waiting for Stefan for the past 15 minutes and was getting frustrated. They had reservations in 20 minutes and he still wasn't down yet! At that moment, she felt her phone buzz and looked down to see Stefan's reply.

_About today…I can't. I met this girl, Care. And I wanna get to know her…I'm really sorry. Mind if we reschedule? _

Caroline closed her eyes and sighed. She was a bit pissed that Stefan had ditched her for some girl, but at the same time she couldn't help but feel happy for him. This was the first time she'd seen him interested in a girl that wasn't Elena, and she wasn't about to stop that from happening. Stefan deserved happiness, even if it meant ditching his best friend and reservations at a restaurant that had taken a good hour of her talking to the manager for them to get in.

"Caroline?"

Her eyes snapped open at the sound of that familiar, husky voice to see Klaus standing in front of her with a confused expression on his face and a cardboard box in his hands.

"Hi," she answered softly.

"W-What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I had plans with Stefan...but he just texted me to reschedule our plans," she sighed, waving her phone at Klaus before putting it down on her lap.

"Ah, yes. Did it perhaps have something to do with another girl?" Klaus asked, to which Caroline nodded.

"Yeah, it seems our Stefan is quite taken with my little sister," Klaus smirked. A small smile appeared on Caroline's lips and she nodded.

"He deserves it. Let's just hope your sister is good to him or if not I'll have to kick her ass!" Caroline joked, as she grabbed her purse and stood up. Klaus chuckled at the blonde's answer and shrugged, "I have no problem with that sweetheart." Both shared a laugh before Caroline's expression turned somber, and she pressed her lips together, looking down at her feet.

"Klaus, about that night at the club..," she began.

"No, it's fine Caroline," he answered.

"No, it's not. You apologized and you were honest…and I just left you standing there without saying anything. I'm sorry," she apologized, looking up to meet his gaze. He smiled at her and shook his head.

"Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize about. The things I said to you were out of hand, and I didn't mean them. I was hurt. And you deserve and explanation," he replied.

"Okay," she nodded, motioning for him to continue. He parted his gaze from hers to look back at the receptionist before looking back at Caroline. "Not here. Care to join me for coffee?" he questioned.

"Sure. I mean, Stefan and I had reservations at some restaurant but whatever, there'll be others," she smiled.

"Follow me then," Klaus smiled as they exited the building and he walked up to the valet, asking him to notify Dean to bring the town car around. A few minutes later, the town car was in front. As Caroline moved to open the door to the vehicle, Klaus's hand put his hand in front of her to stop her.

"What? I'm just getting in the car," she stated, confused.

"I'm just putting the box in the car, sweetheart. We're walking," he answered. Dean opened the passenger's door, helping Klaus put the box on the seat.

"Just take it to my place, Dean. And have the receptionist hold it for me till I get home."

"Will do, boss." Klaus closed the door and then turned to Caroline, "Shall we?" he asked, as he extended his arm out to her. She laughed and nodded, intertwining her arm with his, reveling in the warmth radiating from his body. They began their walk to the nearest coffee shop with some small talk here and there. Caroline talked about how her job had been going lately, and the whole Damon/Rose situation while Klaus listened intently. He enjoyed the way her eyes light up when she was talking about something she liked, or when her eyebrows furrowed when she was talking about something that displeased her (like the Damon/Rose situation). Not to mention, she looked beautiful. She was wearing a strapless yellow sundress with a sweetheart neckline, which showed off her beautiful, long legs and she had accompanied it with a white cardigan. She looked almost angelic, he thought, with her golden curls that fell down her shoulders forming a golden halo around her.

After a few minutes of walking, they reached the coffee shop and stepped inside. Klaus asked her what she wanted, and then told her to get a seat for them, to which Caroline argued back saying that she could pay for her drink but Klaus didn't budge. She huffed and walked over to the small table right by the window, sitting down and waiting for Klaus. He appeared soon after with their orders.

"One salted caramel mocha for the lady and some coffee for me," he stated, placing her drink down in front of her and taking a seat in the chair across from her. Caroline grabbed her cup and took a sip of her mocha before setting it down.

"Okay, shoot," she stated. Klaus who had also been taking a sip of his coffee nodded, placing his drink down. He sighed, resting his arms on the table and pressing his hands together.

"You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," Caroline said.

"No, it's fine," Klaus answered, "what happened was that after I dropped you and Stefan off I went back to the ball. Once I got there, Rebekah told me our parents were arguing and to go check on what was going on because she'd never heard them arguing so bad. So, I did."

"As it turns out, they were arguing about me. When I went in to see what was happening, my fath-Mikael punched me in the face and then he finally told me what the problem was. I was the product of an affair my mother had when he was away on a trip," Klaus answered, as he looked down at hands, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Oh my god," Caroline gasped, "Klaus, I'm so sorry." She placed her hands over his and gave them a comforting squeeze. He looked up and met the sad gaze in her cerulean eyes. What she felt wasn't pity though, she just felt bad for him. For his dad to be so horrible to him after finding out the truth about his parentage was terrible, and nobody deserved that. His lips formed a thin line and he nodded.

"He fired me and I got angry at him and threatened to hurt him...But I couldn't. I stormed out of the house and went back to my place and just drank and drank until you came looking for me the next day," he answered, as he looked at her with an apologetic gaze.

"And you lashed out on me because of that. Oh my god, Klaus I'm honestly so sorry. You don't deserve for your father to have treated you that way," Caroline replied

Klaus scoffed, "I never did like the bastard anyways, so I guess it makes sense. But that happening was no excuse for the way I treated you that way, Caroline. I was cruel." Caroline pressed her lips together and shrugged.

"It's okay-,"

"No, it's not. And though I've already apologized, I want to make it up to you. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight, and then I can continue our conversation from that night at the ball?" he questioned, raising his eyebrows at her. A small smile appeared on her lips, and she bit down on her bottom lip as she pondered his offer. He had apologized and was trying to make it up to her even more, which definitely gave him some brownie points. So why not?

"Sure. Pick me up at 8? But don't even think of getting me anything such as jewelry ok?" She asked, giving him a pointed look.

"I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart," he laughed, and she smiled back at him. It was then Klaus looked down at Caroline's hands, which were still placed atop of his, her thumb caressing soothing circles on his hand. Caroline followed his gaze and her eyes widening, immediately moving her hands away.

"Sorry," she muttered, taking a sip of her drink.

"It's okay love, I didn't mind," he smirked, as he watched a blush creep up to her cheeks. A few minutes of silence passed before Caroline spoke up again.

"So what are you going to do now that you don't have a job?" she questioned.

"Stefan and I were actually talking about that today. We're planning on starting a firm," he began and continued telling Caroline about what he and Stefan had talked about, plus some of what he'd thought of. They spent the next few hours talking about that and some of how they both met Stefan. Once they had both finished their drinks, Caroline looked at her phone to check the time.

"Want to run away already, love?" he joked as he watched her check her phone.

"If you don't mind dropping me off…, I just want to be able to have enough time to get ready," she replied, with an embarrassed smile.

"It's no problem at all," he answered, quickly calling Dean and telling him to come and pick them up. Several minutes later, the towncar was in front of the coffee shop waiting for them. Klaus opened the door for Caroline and she slid in, followed by him. She gave Dean her address and they began their drive there.

"You don't mind not having your own car?" Caroline questioned as she looked around the car.

"I've been brought up with limousines and towncars all my life, and I never really learned how to drive so no," he answered. Caroline snapped her head towards him, her lips parted in shock.

"What?! You don't know how to drive?!" she exclaimed. He chuckled in response and shook his head.

"That's crazy! You need someone to teach you how to drive!" she exclaimed.

"Would you like to be my teacher, Mrs. Forbes?" he said huskily, smirking at the blonde. She rolled her eyes at him but shrugged.

"If you can find me a car and an open road I'll be more than happy to do so," she grinned. Klaus nodded, "I'll take you up on that offer."

Within 10 minutes, they were in front of Caroline's apartment building. She thanked the driver and opened the door, turning to Klaus.

"Thank you for today, and thank you for being honest with me," she smiled softly. Klaus nodded in response.

"See you tonight," she said, as she slipped out of the car, closing the door and making her way inside the apartment building.

"See you tonight, Caroline," he mumbled as he watched her disappear behind the closed doors.

**~O~**

**AN: So yay, they made up and now they're going to dinner! And Stefan and Rebekah, do you guys like it? Let me know and please review! :) **

**Oh, and Caroline's outfit is from the Christmas episode from this season! :)**


End file.
